A recent graduate of Florida International University, Robert Garcia will play professional baseball in his home country.
Garcia, a right-handed pitcher who led the Panthers’ pitching staff with 81 strikeouts and held opponents to a .235 batting average, was drafted in the first round by the Hermosillo Naranjeros of the Mexican Pacific League.
Garcia’s stock rose following a game against Bethune-Cookman University when he pitched a complete game, allowing one run and struck out 14 batters in a 3-1 victory.
The pitching performance earned Garcia the Conference USA Pitcher of the Week award for the week of April 17.
The Hermosillo, which is celebrating its Golden Anniversary this year, is considered among the successful teams in the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico with 16 titles, and was the first Mexican team to win the Caribbean Series in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 1976.