Santiago Garcia, a right‑handed reliever who capped his college career at Louisiana State University, has been selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 12th round of the 2026 Major League Baseball draft.
Garcia’s path to the draft wound through several programs. He began at Central Arizona Community College, transferred to the University of Oregon, and ultimately thrived under the tutelage of LSU head coach Jay Johnson, who increasingly entrusted him with high‑leverage outings during weekend series.
A LSU Pitching Pipeline
His final season at LSU was marked by 21 relief appearances, two saves, a 5.96 earned run average and 35 strikeouts across 22.2 innings. The numbers reflect a pitcher who could handle pressure moments, a trait that caught the eye of the Blue Jays’ scouting department.
Garcia joins two fellow LSU alumni — Deven Sheerin and Grant Fontenot — as the third member of this year’s roster to hear his name called in the draft. The trio underscores the program’s recent ability to produce arms ready for professional competition.
The selection marks a personal milestone for Garcia and reinforces LSU’s reputation as a fertile ground for MLB talent. As the Blue Jays add him to their developmental pipeline, the former Tiger will look to translate his collegiate success into the rigors of minor‑league play.