No matter what he does with the Boston Red Sox, Jhostynxon Garcia’s name will always help set him apart.
That’s why his parents chose an unconventional first name for the outfielder, who made his major league debut on Friday. Garcia’s father, John Garcia, spoke with El Emergente Marcos Grunfeld about how he and his wife landed on Jhostynxon.
“We chose a big-league name for him, and now he is one,” John Garcia told Grunfeld in Spanish in a phone interview. “When we were thinking about what name to choose, we wanted something uncommon. We heard this name and liked it. My wife took charge of how to write it.”
Many fans will instead refer to the Venezuelan newcomer by his nickname. Because of his first name’s unique spelling, Jhostynxon is commonly called “The Password.”
“We learned about the nickname through social media,” John said. “We already knew that nobody from our hometown had ever played in MLB. It’s huge.”
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Garcia’s younger brother, Johanfran García, is also in Boston’s farm system. The Red Sox sent the 20-year-old catcher, whom some have called “The Username,” to Yankee Stadium to see Jhostynxon’s debut.
Their parents are still awaiting a travel visa to visit the United States and see them play, but John is happy Johanfran got to attend the big moment.
“For Jhostynxon, it was a surprise,” John said. “We already knew about it. That’s what matters right now. I want both of them to play in the big leagues. Our time to join them will come.”
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Garcia is starting in right field for Sunday night’s game against the New York Yankees.
