Central STL News

On Thursday, the Boston Red Sox promoted Jhostynxon Garcia, one of their top prospects, to the Major Leagues for his debut. Garcia, who is ranked as MLB's No. 77 prospect, has become known not only for his power at the plate but also for his distinctive nickname—"The Password." The moniker stems from the unique spelling of his first name.

With over 120 full-season teams and more than 6,000 players in Minor League Baseball, a wide range of creative nicknames have emerged across farm systems. Some players with memorable nicknames have already reached the Majors this season, including Kyle Teel ("DJ Base Monkey"), Zach Maxwell ("Big Sugar"), Hyeseong Kim ("Comet"), and Edgar Quero ("La Muralla").

In an overview of notable Minor League nicknames by team:

For the Blue Jays, Peyton Williams is called "The Iowa Meat Truck," a reference that began when he wore a shirt promoting his neighbor’s meat business. Coaches encouraged him to celebrate hits by mimicking honking a truck horn.

Orioles prospect Slater de Brun goes by "Lil Slayyy." De Brun is also a musician and music producer who taught himself through online tutorials.

Jadher Adeinamo of the Rays has earned the nickname "Harry Potter" due to both his defensive skills and a forehead scar reminiscent of the fictional character.

Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia is known as "The Username," a nod to his brother Jhostynxon's nickname.

Yankees infielder Andrew Velazquez carries the nickname "Squid," which evolved from "Squez" because coaches thought he played defense as if he had multiple arms.

Other organizations feature similarly colorful names: Matt Wilkinson of the Guardians is called "Tugboat" for his slow running style; Carter Jensen of the Royals is known as "El Gato" after dodging a ball with quick reflexes; Max Clark of the Tigers goes by "Spark," inspired by both his play and pop culture references; Walker Jenkins of the Twins was dubbed "Captain America" by former player Michael Cuddyer; Lyle Miller-Green of the White Sox holds the title "The Siberian Sultan of Swat."

Among National League teams, Tink Hence represents the Cardinals under that single nickname—a shortening that originated from childhood. Kevin Alcántara with the Cubs is referred to as "The Jaguar," while Cam Devanney with the Pirates is called "Bam Bam Cam." Ruben Ibarra on the Reds uses “Big Papa,” inspired by both basketball days and hip-hop culture.

Across other clubs: Ivan Melendez with Arizona is called “The Hispanic Titanic”; José Rodríguez on the Dodgers answers to “Tibu,” short for shark in Spanish; Brayan Palencia with San Francisco is named “El Cirujano” or “The Surgeon”; José Geraldo pitches for San Diego as “Kraken”; Jared Thomas in Colorado is known as “The Postman.”

These nicknames often reflect personal stories, physical traits, or moments shared among teammates and coaches throughout their baseball journeys.

"Tink: Tink Hence (No. 12), RHP, Double-A Springfield

Hence's nickname is so iconic that it's just what he goes by, rather than his given name of Markevian. The moniker dates back to when he was a child and his mom called him 'Stinker,' which evolved into 'Tinker' and then 'Tink.'"

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