Chicago White Sox Player Review: Avisail Garcia

Sep 21, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia (26) hits a solo home during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014 season of Avisail Garcia was a bumpy ride with a smooth ending to the season.

Garcia injured his shoulder on April 9 against the Colorado Rockies as he was diving for the baseball.

Apr 9, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia (26) reacts after being injured diving for a fly ball hit by Colorado Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

At first, injuring his left shoulder was supposed to cause Garcia to miss the remainder of the ’14 season, which was eight games old. Garcia rehabbed and healed faster than expected, returning to the White Sox starting lineup on Aug. 16 and staying there for the remainder of the season.

The official injury Garcia returned from was a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He rehabbed in Triple-A Charlotte, where he hit .340 in the 13-game rehab assignment.

In his return on Aug. 16 in a game at US Cellular Field against the Toronto Blue Jays, Garcia was 2-for-4 with one run. Of his two hits, one was a double. He also had an RBI in the game.

For the season, Garcia finished with a .244 batting average with seven home runs and 29 RBIs. He had an on-base percentage of .305 and .319 slugging percentage in 46 games played in ’14.

In right field, Garcia has a .978 fielding percentage.

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Looking at the season of Garcia, I think it was a success for the fact he was able to rehab and make it back to the regular season when most seasons he was done all season long.

He didn’t let anyone hold him back in ’14, injury or not, because he rehabbed very hard and not only made it back, but did well at the plate for only having 46 total games played, 38 played in his return after the injury.

I can’t wait to see what Garcia can do if he can stay healthy for a full season in a lineup like the White Sox that has the likes of Adam Eaton, Alexei Ramirez, Jose Abreu, Conor Gillaspie and hopefully one more big bat added this offseason through free agency or trade.

Garcia will benefit with that type of lineup surrounding him in the order, and ’15 could be a breakout season for the right fielder if he can stay on the field.