How pitcher Julian Garcia broke through to MLB at 31 after a decade in minors, independent league

DENVER a With his baseball career on the fritz, the Colorado kid got reinvigorated by some Colorado kids.

Fossil Ridge and MSU Denver product Julian Garcia made his big league debut for the Cincinnati Reds on June 23 in Cincinnati.

It was the culmination of a winding, decade-long journey to the bigs that featured stops in the Puerto Rican Winter League and the independent American Association, plus two full years away from the game.