Pirates pick Division III pitcher with 'huge upside' in Nick Garcia in 3rd round of MLB Draft

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected another right-handed pitcher when they took Nick Garcia of Chapman University (Calif.) with their third-round pick (No. 79) of the MLB Draft.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Garcia went 9-0 with a 0.64 ERA and recorded 12 saves as the closer on Chapman’s 2019 Division III national champion team. He had a 2.00 ERA with 36 strikeouts and seven walks over five starts and 27 innings in the 2019 and 2020 seasons combined.

Pick 3:79, Pirates select Nick Garcia, RHP, Chapman University

Nick Garcia Prospect Video, RHP, Chapman University https://t.co/ledDUIl9FO via @YouTube #pirates #mlbdraft

— Steve Fiorindo (@SoCalSteve9) June 11, 2020

Garcia is the third consecutive right-handed pitcher picked by the Pirates, joining Carmen Mlondzinski of South Carolina and Jared Jones of La Mirada (Calif.) High School.

The #Pirates' third-round #MLBDraft pick reminds @MLBNetwork's Dan O'Dowd of ... Hall of Famer John Smoltz?

Learn more about Nick Garcia, a Division III pitcher with lots of upside: https://t.co/URgMWPGVpW pic.twitter.com/cUil8ULfDO

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 11, 2020

"I think they're getting, truly, a 1st-round talent in the 3rd round."

Did the @Pirates get a steal in Nick Garcia at #79? #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/BMVgY5JyIg

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 11, 2020

MLB Network draft analyst Dan O’Dowd raved about Garcia’s “huge upside,” compared him to John Smoltz and said the Pirates “are getting truly a first-round talent in the third round.”