Rating: 2.55
2025 Stats: 2 G, 4 PA, 0 H, 0BB, 3 SO, -0.1 bWAR
Date of Birth: 1 January 1993
2025 Earnings: Minimum
2026 Status: Signed to a minor league contract with Arizona on 8 November 2025
You’ll be forgiven if you don’t remember Aramis Garcia for the Diamondbacks. Frankly, it’s mildly impressive that he had not one, but two stints on the 26-man roster in 2025. Somehow, despite this pair of call-ups, he still only managed a total of four plate appearances, which resulted in three strikeouts. In all fairness to Garcia, he never would have been called on at all if not for the supremely questionable judgement of umpires Alex Tosi and Ron Kulpa on a rainy day in Cincinnati in June. Likely the most severe result of their poor judgement was that the Diamondbacks lost the services of starting catcher Gabriel Moreno for two months. At the time, the Diamondbacks were woefully prepared to weather such a loss. This resulted in Garcia having his contracted selected in an emergency move so that he could finish the game the following day where he would make his Diamondbacks debut an an injury replacement. That particular game goes down in infamy, costing the Diamondbacks Gabriel Moreno, pitcher Christian Mena, the tie breaker with the Reds, and quite possibly the final playoff wild card slot.
After two innings behind the dish to close out the suspended game, Garcia was designated for assignment and headed back to Reno. Twelve days later, after swelling receded and imaging was completed, Gabriel Moreno was put on the IL and Garcia once again had his contract selected. Two days later, he made his only other appearance for the team, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Two days after that, the Diamondbacks picked up veteran backstop James McCann, resulting in Garcia once again being designated for assignment and eventually returning to Reno.
Even in Reno, Garcia was a part-time backstop. He played in 70 games, receiving 296 plate appearances over the course of which he posted a respectable .866 OPS. Alas, that OPS was achieved in Reno, so it falls a good 150 points short of the sort of mark usually looked for in the league. It was, however, enough (especially combined with the lack of catching depth in the organization) for the Diamondbacks to re-sign Garcia to a minor league deal with an invite to spring.
On 8 November, Garcia signed a minor league contract to return to the Diamondbacks organization. Gabriel Moreno has returned to the roster and, barring any sort of major developments between now and Opening Day, will resume his duties as the primary catcher for Arizona. James McCann left via free agency. Jose Herrera elected free agency as well. Adrian Del Castillo is only a catcher in the most dire of circumstances. The next name on the list is Garcia’s. As such, it is entirely possible that Garcia could see a decent stint on the 26-man roster at some point in 2026, though he likely will be used sparingly even then. It is almost a certainty that Mike Hazen will be adding catching depth to the organization this winter. If and when he does, Garcia is likely pushed back down in the pecking order. However, as demonstrated already in June, it takes only one freak moment for everything to change. Until such time as further catching is acquired, Garcia controls his destiny with regard to becoming Arizona’s backup catcher in 2026.