'The Password': Red Sox prospect Jhostynxon Garcia dazzles in Triple-A Worcester debut
WORCESTER — His first name is hard to spell.
But his nickname is easy to remember.
Jhostynxon Garcia — aka 'The Password' — was promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. And Garcia didn't disappoint in his Triple-A debut.
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The 22-year-old outfielder, who is the fifth-ranked prospect in the Red Sox farm system according to MLB.com, smashed a 396-foot home run (with a 106.3 exit velocity) in the WooSox' 8-2 win over the Durham Bulls at Polar Park.
'We're happy to have him,' WooSox manager Chad Tracy said.
'I'm happy to be on a team with this much talent,' said Garcia through translator Iggy Suarez, who is also the WooSox' third base coach. 'I'm in a situation where I can learn a lot from them and just learn from each other.'
Just three days prior, Portland Sea Dogs hitting coach Chris Hess and defensive coach Kyle Sasala took Garcia aside for a personal conversation. What originally started as a slightly somber talk turned into a happy moment for the Venezuelan-born Garcia.
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You're going to Worcester, kid.
'I kind of had an idea,' Garcia said. 'I kind of knew what was going on.'
Red Sox prospect Jhostynxon Garcia watches his first Triple-A home run during the Worcester Red Sox game on May 20, 2025 at Polar Park.
As Garcia called his parents in Venezuela shortly after to share the news, his father picked up the phone. His mom was actually asleep. Garcia told his dad to wake her up for the announcement.
'She started crying,' Garcia said. 'Happy for me. So, it was a good (moment).'
Roughly 1,500 miles from Garcia making his Triple-A debut at Polar Park, his younger brother, Johanfran Garcia, played in a game for the Florida Complex League (FCL) Red Sox at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota, Florida.
Jhostynxon Garcia catches a ball during his first Triple-A game with the Worcester Red Sox on May 20, 2025 at Polar Park.
Last year, Johanfran, 20, batted .385/.467/.596 with two home runs and a 1.063 OPS in 14 games (60 plate appearances) for the Salem Red Sox before suffering torn ligaments in his knee during a game May 1.
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Johanfran, a catcher who signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2022, returned to action for the first time since the injury on Tuesday and went 1 for 3 with two RBI. Meanwhile in Worcester, Jhostynxon went 1 for 4 with three RBI and two runs.
'(We've been) waiting for that moment for a long time,' Garica said. 'It's been over a year. Our family, in this moment right now, we're very happy.'
Before his promotion to Triple-A Worcester, Jhostynxon Garcia was hitting .263 with 3 HR and 17 RBI for Portland. Working on his swing decisions and plate discipline this year, Garcia garnered game-winning hits in back-to-back walk-off wins for the Sea Dogs on May 10 and 11.
Portland Sea Dogs slugger Jhostynxon Garcia (second from right) celebrates a walk-off hit with teammates following a Double-A game at Hadlock Field on May 10, 2025.
A week later, he received the call up to Worcester.
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'He's developed a lot the past year plus,' Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham said. 'He's really just become a complete player. He's a good example to show what hard work and dedication and trust in the program does for you. ...
'All of the sudden you're looking at a five-tool player who can eventually make an impact in Boston in a few years for a long time.'
WooSox player Jhostynxon Garcia celebrates his first Triple-A home run during a game on May 20, 2025 at Polar Park.
And if Garcia continues to hit homers like he did on Tuesday at Polar Park, the Red Sox prospect — with a first name that is hard to spell — will make it easy for fans to root for him.
Introducing: The Password.
'It's a cool nickname,' Tracy said. ' It's a funny nickname because when I first saw it or heard it, I was like, 'The Password? Like, what?' And then it hit me, like, oh, he's got 19 different letters in his first name. So, it's cool. I think he's embraced it, and most of the guys in our organization, they've embraced it, and it makes a lot of sense.
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'So happy to have him.'
—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Red Sox prospect Jhostynxon Garcia hits homer in WooSox debut
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