Former White Sox outfielder, 33, announces immediate retirement from baseball
Willy Garcia, whose 15-year career in professional baseball culminated with a 44-game stint with the Chicago White Sox in 2017, announced his retirement from baseball in an Instagram post Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Garcia, 33, last played during the 2024-25 Nicaraguan Winter League season, according to Baseball Reference.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank all the organizations that trusted in my talent during these 16 years of my wonderful career, but the time has come for me to retire,” Garcia wrote in Spanish. “Thank you to all my family, friends, and teammates for these amazing years. Now it’s time to help the children and to teach everything I’ve learned. Thank you, God, for my beautiful career.”
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Garcia spent the first seven seasons of his pro career in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization (2010-16) after being signed as an amateur out of the Dominican Republic.
The Santo Domingo native was claimed off waivers by the White Sox in January 2017. The White Sox assigned him to Triple-A for the third straight season, but a hot start (a .423 batting average, with two homers in his first seven games) ensured Garcia would not remain there for long.
When Garcia was promoted for his MLB debut on April 14, 2017, he made history: The White Sox outfield featured three players all named Garcia: Avisail Garcia played right field and batted fifth against the Minnesota Twins; Leury Garcia played center field and batted seventh; Willy played left field and hit ninth.
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Garcia got 119 plate appearances in his only major league season, slashing .238/.305/.400. He saw time at all three outfield positions.
After he was released by the White Sox in March 2018, Garcia never latched on with an affiliated team. However, he continued his career in various Caribbean Leagues and independent North American clubs. He last played domestically for the Atlantic League’s Charleston (W.V.) Dirty Birds in 2024, batting .169 in 22 games.
Garcia joins shortstop Tim Anderson as the second player on the 2017 White Sox to retire this week.
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