Rafael Garcia

How Acquired: Selected by the Galaxy in the second round (38th overall) of the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft.

A holding midfielder, Garcia has provided a hard-working option in the center of the field since joining the club in 2012 after a successful career at Cal State Northridge.

MLS Highlights

2016: In his fifth season in MLS with LA Galaxy, Garcia made six appearances and two starts on the 2016 season. Garcia proved a viable option off the bench for Bruce Arena after the departure of Nigel de Jong in August.

2015: Made ten appearances and four starts for Galaxy in the regular season, clocking the most minutes of any of his four seasons in LA.

2014: Made just one appearance in MLS, but served as captain for Galaxy II in USL throughout the majority of the year, helping lead the club to a third place regular season finish and a semifinal berth in the playoffs during its inaugural season.

2013: Garcia built off of his rookie year by earning nine appearances and one start during the Galaxy’s 2013 MLS Regular Season. In his appearances, the club went 6-2-1 as Garcia occupied the central midfield.

2012: In his rookie seaon, Garcia made one appearance for the Galaxy when he was a substitution in a victory over Real Salt Lake FC on June 6.

College Highlights

2011: Was limited to just 13 games as a senior after missing six games with a knee injury but still managed to earn All-Big West honors for the first time. A team captain for the second straight season, Garcia scored twice on the year with both goals coming on penalty kicks in the second half of a 3-0 win over UC Davis. He scored in the 68th minute and then again in the 77th for the first multi-goal game of his college career. His 32 shots were the third most on the team.

2010: Tied for second on the team with two goals while also adding a career-best six assists. The six assists were the most on the team as were his 49 shots. 

2009: Returned from injury to play a career-high 20 games, starting all 20 of them for the Matadors. He tallied his only assist of the season at home against SMU while his 28 shots were the third-most on the team. 

2008: Suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the year against Georgetown and redshirted the rest of the season. 

2007: A teammate of Sean Franklin’s as a freshman, Garcia stepped in and played in 17 games, making 14 starts in midfield. An All-Big West Second Team honoree, Garcia scored game-winning goals in victories over UNLV and Cal State Fullerton with both games ending 1-0. Northridge also won both games that Garcia had an assist in, giving them a 4-0-0 record when he was on the scoresheet.