Escobar moves on again, this time to Nationals

By Jim Callis
February 13, 2005

Alex Escobar once ranked as one of the game's top prospects, but injuries and and inability to make consistent contact at the higher levels have prevented him from accomplishing much at the majors. His diminished status shows up in his transaction history as well. A key component for the Indians when they traded Roberto Alomar to the Mets in December 2001, Escobar was lost on waivers to the White Sox last August and traded to the Nationals for low Class A outfielder Jerry Owens on Sunday.

Escobar, 26, will compete for a reserve role in Washington this year. Once brimming with 30-30 potential, he still has good power but his speed has declined as a result of reconstructive surgery on his left knee, which he injured early in spring training 2002 after joining Cleveland. He no longer covers the gaps in center field as effectively, and fits better in right field, where he has a strong arm. Escobar began 2004 in the majors with the Indians, hitting .211/.318/.309 with one homer and 12 RBIs in 46 games. He was demoted in mid-June to Triple-A Buffalo, where he played just 16 games before getting knocked out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his right foot. He's out of options, so he'll have to clear waivers if he doesn't stick in the majors. He's a career .229/.309/.369 hitter with nine homers and 34 RBIs in 92 big league games.

Injuries also short-circuited Owens' career—as a wide receiver. He caught one pass in two years at UCLA, then transferred to The Master's (Calif.) College and quickly caught the attention of scouts, becoming a second-round pick in 2003. He played in just two games in his first pro summer because he hurt his left shoulder and had a pre-existing hernia. He's an exciting athlete but still raw as a baseball player. Owens has very good speed and understands his job is to be a tablesetter, so he focuses on making contact and keeping the ball on the ground. He has decent command of the strike zone but needs to refine his basestealing instincts. He's a potential above-average center fielder, albeit with a below-average arm. Owens hit .292/.365/.349 with one homer, 37 RBIs and 30 steals (in 43 attempts) in 108 games at low Class A Savannah last year. Because of his age—he'll turn 24 on Wednesday—the White Sox may start him in Double-A this season.