Daniel Espino Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

IP	123
ERA	3.366
WHIP	1.041
BB/9	3.512
SO/9	14.854

Full name Daniel Andres Espino
Born 01/05/2001 in Panama City, Panama
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Georgia Premier
Drafted in the 1st round (24th overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2019 (signed for $2,500,000).

View Draft Report

No pitcher—high school or college—has as much upside as Georgia righthander Daniel Espino in the 2019 draft. His pure stuff is the loudest of any arm in the class thanks to a fastball that is routinely in the upper 90s and has touched 99-100 mph several times throughout the summer and spring. But it isn’t just elite velocity that makes Espino’s fastball tick, as the pitch, at times, has riding life to his arm side and cutting action to his glove side. After his fastball, Espino has two seperate breaking balls that look like plus pitches. His curveball sits in the mid-70s, and his slider is thrown in the low 80s. Both have sharp, late-breaking action and are legitimate swing-and-miss offerings when combined with his 80-grade fastball. Espino also throws a firm, upper-80s changeup that has some potential and flashes the look of a solid-average offering, but the pitch will need further refinement. Just grading out the tools, there are only a handful of players who would make sense to be listed above Espino in any draft ranking, but teams are split on the prep righthander because of an unconventional arm action, reliever risk and the recent poor track record of high school pitchers who throw as hard as Espino does at such a young age. Espino’s arm action is long, and while his control is solid, scouts believe that he’ll need to refine his command at the next level, where hitters won’t be as likely to chase secondaries out of the strike zone. Scouts have also noted that Espino’s stuff and control are both better when he pitches on longer rest and question how he will perform when he is throwing on a pro schedule. For those who don’t knock Espino quite as hard for his arm action, it’s easy to point to his elite lower-half strength and mechanics to show why he’ll be able to hold up in the future and avoid unnecessary stress on both his elbow and shoulder. The Panamanian-born pitcher gets off the rubber with tremendous force and has solid athleticism and body control, keeping his upper and lower half synced up. Those high on Espino will point to him having the best stuff in the country and the upside of a front-of-the-rotation starter, while those lower on him will see a 6-foot high school righthander with an unconventional arm action and significant risk to end up in the bullpen. Those factors lead to a wide range of potential landing spots in the draft for the Louisiana State commit.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 60/Extreme

Track Record: Espino was born in Panama before his family moved to the U.S. when he was 15. He soon took off on the mound and hit the ground running in pro ball. He opened 2022 with Double-A Akron as one of the younger pitchers in the Eastern League, but he made just four starts before a knee injury sidelined him for the season. Espino was shut down in February 2023 and missed the season after a shoulder strain ultimately resulted in May surgery to repair the anterior capsule.

Scouting Report: Espino is on the shorter end of what teams look for in a righthanded starter, but his excellent athleticism and a rare combination of explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That quality helps him produce elite velocity, and his fastball can reach triple digits and sit 96 mph. Since entering pro ball, Espino has raised his arm slot and now generates significant vertical break on his fastball, adding to its effectiveness. He throws both a curveball and slider. His velocity helps his slider play up, and it’s not uncommon for him to throw the pitch in the low 90s. It’s a double-plus offering and creates swing-and-miss at an exceptional rate. His curveball is a big, 12-to-6 breaker that works mostly as a chase pitch but also creates groundball outs. Espino’s firm changeup is an effective fourth offering and has real promise but needs further refinement because he hasn’t needed to use it often. He has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control.

The Future: Recovery from Espino’s surgery is estimated at 12 to 14 months, putting him on target for a midsummer return. Until he gets back on the mound, it’s hard to pin down what to expect from him. The Guardians added Espino to the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He could quickly get in the mix in Cleveland if he returns healthy and effective.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 80 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55
BA Grade/Risk: 70/Extreme

Track Record: Espino was born in Panama and moved with his family to the U.S. when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a near-professional mindset on the diamond. His performance and mentality carried over to pro ball and he put himself on the fast track. He impressed at the alternate training site in 2020, more than holding his own as a teenager against more experienced prospects, and then reached High-A in 2021, his first full professional season. He opened 2022 with Double-A Akron as one of the younger pitchers in the Eastern League, but he made just four starts before a knee injury at the end of April ultimately sidelined him for the season. He spent most of the year rehabbing at the Guardians' complex in Arizona.

Scouting Report: Espino is on the shorter end of what teams look for in a righthanded starter, but his excellent athleticism and a rare combination of explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity, and his fastball can reach triple digits and sits 96 mph. Since entering pro ball, Espino has raised his arm slot and now generates significant ride on his fastball, adding to its effectiveness. He throws both a curveball and slider. His velocity helps his slider play up, and it's not uncommon for him to throw the pitch in the low 90s. It's a well above-average offering and creates swing-and-miss at an exceptional rate. His curveball is a big 12-to-6 breaker that works mostly as a chase pitch, but also creates groundball outs. His firm changeup is an effective fourth offering and has real promise but needs further refinement. He hasn't needed to use it often. Espino has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He has swing-and-miss stuff--in 2021 he ranked 15th in the minor leagues in strikeouts in just 91.2 innings--but he needs to continue to refine his command as he faces upper-level hitters with more mature approaches. While Espino made just four starts at Double-A before his injury, the early returns were impressive, and he was still getting plenty of swinging strikes against older hitters.

The Future: Espino's combination of premium stuff, control and makeup mark him one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, but there is a continuing concern about his health. The Guardians announced at the start of spring training that the shoulder injury that bothered him in 2022 is continuing to be a problem. He has been diagnosed with a tear in his anterior capsule of his right shoulder. Espino is expected to rehab the injury with the hope that he can begin throwing at the end of spring training, but the injury is a worrisome one.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 80. Curveball: 55. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
Track Record: Espino was born in Panama before moving with his family to the United States when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a close to professional mindset on the diamond. He emerged as one of the top prep pitchers in the 2019 draft class and Cleveland selected him 24th overall, giving him a $2.5 million bonus to forgo a Louisiana State commitment. Espino’s performance and mentality carried over to pro ball and he’s been on a fast track since he was drafted. He reached High-A in 2021 as a 20-year-old and posted a 3.73 ERA over 20 total starts.

Scouting Report: Espino is on the shorter side for a righthander, but his excellent athleticism and a rare combination of explosiveness and flexibility helps him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity with a fastball that sits at 96 mph and touches 99. He throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refinement but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. He has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. Espino has swing-and-miss stuff—his 152 strikeouts ranked 15th in the minor leagues in just 91.2 innings—but he’ll need to refine his command as he advances to face upper-level hitters who are less likely to chase out of the zone.

The Future: Espino is ready for the challenge of Double-A as a 21-year-old. He still needs to build innings and refine his command, but once he does, he has the potential to be a hard-throwing, mid-rotation starter.
Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Curveball: 50. Control: 50.

TRACK RECORD: Espino was born in Panama before moving with his family to the U.S. when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy and adopted a professional mindset that was readily apparent to the Indians after they selected him 24th overall in the 2019 draft. He became the first high school player the Indians promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley in his pro debut since Francisco Lindor in 2011, and he spent 2020 at the alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: Espino is shorter than what most teams look for in a righthander, but his excellent athleticism, explosiveness and flexibility helps him access his lower half. The result is a plus-plus fastball that sits at 96 mph and reaches 99. Espino throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refining but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. Espino has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He’ll need to refine his command as he faces more advanced hitters who are less susceptible to chasing his offspeed stuff.

THE FUTURE: Espino will be just 20 when the 2021 season begins. The Indians will likely take a cautious tack with him, but he may force their hand.
TRACK RECORD: Espino was born in Panama before moving to the United States when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a close to professional mindset. That approach was apparent when he arrived at the Indians' complex in Arizona after they drafted him 24th overall. His performance and mentality allowed him to become first prep player the Indians have promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley during his pro debut since Francisco Lindor in 2011.

SCOUTING REPORT: Espino was one of the best prep pitchers in the draft class and has big overall upside. He's on the shorter end of what teams look for in a righthander, but his excellent athleticism, explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity and his fastball reach 99 mph and sit at 96. He throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refinement but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. He has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He'll need to refine his command as he faces more advanced hitters who are less susceptible to chasing his offspeed stuff.

THE FUTURE: Espino has put himself on an accelerated track already and he'll likely start his first full professional season with low Class A Lake County, where he and righthander Ethan Hankins will team up for a premium 1-2 punch the Indians hope will stick together all the way to Cleveland.

Draft Prospects

No pitcher--high school or college--has as much upside as Georgia righthander Daniel Espino in the 2019 draft. His pure stuff is the loudest of any arm in the class thanks to a fastball that is routinely in the upper 90s and has touched 99-100 mph several times throughout the summer and spring. But it isn't just elite velocity that makes Espino's fastball tick, as the pitch, at times, has riding life to his arm side and cutting action to his glove side. After his fastball, Espino has two seperate breaking balls that look like plus pitches. His curveball sits in the mid-70s, and his slider is thrown in the low 80s. Both have sharp, late-breaking action and are legitimate swing-and-miss offerings when combined with his 80-grade fastball. Espino also throws a firm, upper-80s changeup that has some potential and flashes the look of a solid-average offering, but the pitch will need further refinement. Just grading out the tools, there are only a handful of players who would make sense to be listed above Espino in any draft ranking, but teams are split on the prep righthander because of an unconventional arm action, reliever risk and the recent poor track record of high school pitchers who throw as hard as Espino does at such a young age. Espino's arm action is long, and while his control is solid, scouts believe that he'll need to refine his command at the next level, where hitters won't be as likely to chase secondaries out of the strike zone. Scouts have also noted that Espino's stuff and control are both better when he pitches on longer rest and question how he will perform when he is throwing on a pro schedule. For those who don't knock Espino quite as hard for his arm action, it's easy to point to his elite lower-half strength and mechanics to show why he'll be able to hold up in the future and avoid unnecessary stress on both his elbow and shoulder. The Panamanian-born pitcher gets off the rubber with tremendous force and has solid athleticism and body control, keeping his upper and lower half synced up. Those high on Espino will point to him having the best stuff in the country and the upside of a front-of-the-rotation starter, while those lower on him will see a 6-foot high school righthander with an unconventional arm action and significant risk to end up in the bullpen. Those factors lead to a wide range of potential landing spots in the draft for the Louisiana State commit.

Minor League Top Prospects

Viewed as one of the most exciting prep arms in the 2019 draft, Espino’s power arsenal has demanded attention for years. He kept his foot on the accelerator in 2021, when he struck out 152 in 91.2 innings at two Class A stops. “When you hit the league as young as Danny, you deserve some room to figure everything out,” a scout said. “Big heater and a big IQ. If you can start to get a feel for how this works at that age, there’s a place for you. He still has some spotty consistency, but that’s to be expected. Not a red flag in my book.” Espino mixes a two- and four-seam fastball, and regularly hits triple-digits. His plus-plus fastball complements a pitch mix which also features a plus slider and above-average changeup and curveball. While Espino is still refining some arm action wrinkles, his pure stuff will buy him plenty of time.
Espino didn’t stay in Low-A for long, barely surpassing the 40-inning threshold for this list, but league managers didn’t forget the way his fastball played, with one manager calling it the best heater in the league. Espino’s fastball sat in the upper 90s and touched triple-digits, with mostly straight movement. League managers were less impressed with his offspeed offerings, which included a plus slider and two average pitches in his curveball and changeup. The 20-year-old righthander struggled somewhat with his control at Low-A, walking 23 in 42.2 innings, but he began to right the ship at High-A, walking just 16 through 49 innings after a promotion.

Top 100 Rankings

Best Tools List

Rated Best Fastball in the Cleveland Guardians in 2020

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 70/Extreme

Track Record: Espino was born in Panama and moved with his family to the U.S. when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a near-professional mindset on the diamond. His performance and mentality carried over to pro ball and he put himself on the fast track. He impressed at the alternate training site in 2020, more than holding his own as a teenager against more experienced prospects, and then reached High-A in 2021, his first full professional season. He opened 2022 with Double-A Akron as one of the younger pitchers in the Eastern League, but he made just four starts before a knee injury at the end of April ultimately sidelined him for the season. He spent most of the year rehabbing at the Guardians' complex in Arizona.

Scouting Report: Espino is on the shorter end of what teams look for in a righthanded starter, but his excellent athleticism and a rare combination of explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity, and his fastball can reach triple digits and sits 96 mph. Since entering pro ball, Espino has raised his arm slot and now generates significant ride on his fastball, adding to its effectiveness. He throws both a curveball and slider. His velocity helps his slider play up, and it's not uncommon for him to throw the pitch in the low 90s. It's a well above-average offering and creates swing-and-miss at an exceptional rate. His curveball is a big 12-to-6 breaker that works mostly as a chase pitch, but also creates groundball outs. His firm changeup is an effective fourth offering and has real promise but needs further refinement. He hasn't needed to use it often. Espino has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He has swing-and-miss stuff--in 2021 he ranked 15th in the minor leagues in strikeouts in just 91.2 innings--but he needs to continue to refine his command as he faces upper-level hitters with more mature approaches. While Espino made just four starts at Double-A before his injury, the early returns were impressive, and he was still getting plenty of swinging strikes against older hitters.

The Future: Espino's combination of premium stuff, control and makeup mark him one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, but there is a continuing concern about his health. The Guardians announced at the start of spring training that the shoulder injury that bothered him in 2022 is continuing to be a problem. He has been diagnosed with a tear in his anterior capsule of his right shoulder. Espino is expected to rehab the injury with the hope that he can begin throwing at the end of spring training, but the injury is a worrisome one.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 80. Curveball: 55. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
BA Grade/Risk: 70/Extreme

Track Record: Espino was born in Panama and moved with his family to the U.S. when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a near-professional mindset on the diamond. His performance and mentality carried over to pro ball and he put himself on the fast track. He impressed at the alternate training site in 2020, more than holding his own as a teenager against more experienced prospects, and then reached High-A in 2021, his first full professional season. He opened 2022 with Double-A Akron as one of the younger pitchers in the Eastern League, but he made just four starts before a knee injury at the end of April ultimately sidelined him for the season. He spent most of the year rehabbing at the Guardians' complex in Arizona.

Scouting Report: Espino is on the shorter end of what teams look for in a righthanded starter, but his excellent athleticism and a rare combination of explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity, and his fastball can reach triple digits and sits 96 mph. Since entering pro ball, Espino has raised his arm slot and now generates significant ride on his fastball, adding to its effectiveness. He throws both a curveball and slider. His velocity helps his slider play up, and it's not uncommon for him to throw the pitch in the low 90s. It's a well above-average offering and creates swing-and-miss at an exceptional rate. His curveball is a big 12-to-6 breaker that works mostly as a chase pitch, but also creates groundball outs. His firm changeup is an effective fourth offering and has real promise but needs further refinement. He hasn't needed to use it often. Espino has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He has swing-and-miss stuff--in 2021 he ranked 15th in the minor leagues in strikeouts in just 91.2 innings--but he needs to continue to refine his command as he faces upper-level hitters with more mature approaches. While Espino made just four starts at Double-A before his injury, the early returns were impressive, and he was still getting plenty of swinging strikes against older hitters.

The Future: Espino's combination of premium stuff, control and makeup mark him one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, but there is a continuing concern about his health. The Guardians announced at the start of spring training that the shoulder injury that bothered him in 2022 is continuing to be a problem. He has been diagnosed with a tear in his anterior capsule of his right shoulder. Espino is expected to rehab the injury with the hope that he can begin throwing at the end of spring training, but the injury is a worrisome one.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 80. Curveball: 55. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Espino was born in Panama before moving with his family to the United States when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a close to professional mindset on the diamond. He emerged as one of the top prep pitchers in the 2019 draft class and Cleveland selected him 24th overall, giving him a $2.5 million bonus to forgo a Louisiana State commitment. Espino&#39s performance and mentality carried over to pro ball and he&#39s been on a fast track since he was drafted. He reached High-A in 2021 as a 20-year-old and posted a 3.73 ERA over 20 total starts.

Scouting Report: Espino is on the shorter side for a righthander, but his excellent athleticism and a rare combination of explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity with a fastball that sits at 96 mph and touches 99. He throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refinement but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. He has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. Espino has swing-and-miss stuff–his 152 strikeouts ranked 15th in the minor leagues in just 91.2 innings—but he&#39ll need to refine his command as he advances to face upper-level hitters who are less likely to chase out of the zone.

The Future: Espino is ready for the challenge of Double-A as a 21-year-old. He still needs to build innings and refine his command, but once he does, he has the potential to be a hard-throwing, mid-rotation starter.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 50.
Track Record: Espino was born in Panama before moving with his family to the United States when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a close to professional mindset on the diamond. He emerged as one of the top prep pitchers in the 2019 draft class and Cleveland selected him 24th overall, giving him a $2.5 million bonus to forgo a Louisiana State commitment. Espino’s performance and mentality carried over to pro ball and he’s been on a fast track since he was drafted. He reached High-A in 2021 as a 20-year-old and posted a 3.73 ERA over 20 total starts.

Scouting Report: Espino is on the shorter side for a righthander, but his excellent athleticism and a rare combination of explosiveness and flexibility helps him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity with a fastball that sits at 96 mph and touches 99. He throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refinement but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. He has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. Espino has swing-and-miss stuff—his 152 strikeouts ranked 15th in the minor leagues in just 91.2 innings—but he’ll need to refine his command as he advances to face upper-level hitters who are less likely to chase out of the zone.

The Future: Espino is ready for the challenge of Double-A as a 21-year-old. He still needs to build innings and refine his command, but once he does, he has the potential to be a hard-throwing, mid-rotation starter.
Espino didn’t stay in Low-A for long, barely surpassing the 40-inning threshold for this list, but league managers didn’t forget the way his fastball played, with one manager calling it the best heater in the league. Espino’s fastball sat in the upper 90s and touched triple-digits, with mostly straight movement. League managers were less impressed with his offspeed offerings, which included a plus slider and two average pitches in his curveball and changeup. The 20-year-old righthander struggled somewhat with his control at Low-A, walking 23 in 42.2 innings, but he began to right the ship at High-A, walking just 16 through 49 innings after a promotion.
Viewed as one of the most exciting prep arms in the 2019 draft, Espino’s power arsenal has demanded attention for years. He kept his foot on the accelerator in 2021, when he struck out 152 in 91.2 innings at two Class A stops. “When you hit the league as young as Danny, you deserve some room to figure everything out,” a scout said. “Big heater and a big IQ. If you can start to get a feel for how this works at that age, there’s a place for you. He still has some spotty consistency, but that’s to be expected. Not a red flag in my book.” Espino mixes a two- and four-seam fastball, and regularly hits triple-digits. His plus-plus fastball complements a pitch mix which also features a plus slider and above-average changeup and curveball. While Espino is still refining some arm action wrinkles, his pure stuff will buy him plenty of time.
Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Curveball: 50. Control: 50.

TRACK RECORD: Espino was born in Panama before moving with his family to the U.S. when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy and adopted a professional mindset that was readily apparent to the Indians after they selected him 24th overall in the 2019 draft. He became the first high school player the Indians promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley in his pro debut since Francisco Lindor in 2011, and he spent 2020 at the alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: Espino is shorter than what most teams look for in a righthander, but his excellent athleticism, explosiveness and flexibility helps him access his lower half. The result is a plus-plus fastball that sits at 96 mph and reaches 99. Espino throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refining but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. Espino has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He'll need to refine his command as he faces more advanced hitters who are less susceptible to chasing his offspeed stuff.

THE FUTURE: Espino will be just 20 when the 2021 season begins. The Indians will likely take a cautious tack with him, but he may force their hand.
Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Curveball: 50. Control: 50.

TRACK RECORD: Espino was born in Panama before moving with his family to the U.S. when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy and adopted a professional mindset that was readily apparent to the Indians after they selected him 24th overall in the 2019 draft. He became the first high school player the Indians promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley in his pro debut since Francisco Lindor in 2011, and he spent 2020 at the alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: Espino is shorter than what most teams look for in a righthander, but his excellent athleticism, explosiveness and flexibility helps him access his lower half. The result is a plus-plus fastball that sits at 96 mph and reaches 99. Espino throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refining but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. Espino has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He’ll need to refine his command as he faces more advanced hitters who are less susceptible to chasing his offspeed stuff.

THE FUTURE: Espino will be just 20 when the 2021 season begins. The Indians will likely take a cautious tack with him, but he may force their hand.
Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Curveball: 50. Control: 50.

TRACK RECORD: Espino was born in Panama before moving with his family to the U.S. when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy and adopted a professional mindset that was readily apparent to the Indians after they selected him 24th overall in the 2019 draft. He became the first high school player the Indians promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley in his pro debut since Francisco Lindor in 2011, and he spent 2020 at the alternate training site.

SCOUTING REPORT: Espino is shorter than what most teams look for in a righthander, but his excellent athleticism, explosiveness and flexibility helps him access his lower half. The result is a plus-plus fastball that sits at 96 mph and reaches 99. Espino throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refining but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. Espino has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He’ll need to refine his command as he faces more advanced hitters who are less susceptible to chasing his offspeed stuff.

THE FUTURE: Espino will be just 20 when the 2021 season begins. The Indians will likely take a cautious tack with him, but he may force their hand.
TRACK RECORD: Espino was born in Panama before moving to the United States when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a close to professional mindset. That approach was apparent when he arrived at the Indians’ complex in Arizona after they drafted him 24th overall. His performance and mentality allowed him to become first prep player the Indians have promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley during his pro debut since Francisco Lindor in 2011.

SCOUTING REPORT: Espino was one of the best prep pitchers in the draft class and has big overall upside. He’s on the shorter end of what teams look for in a righthander, but his excellent athleticism, explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity and his fastball reach 99 mph and sit at 96. He throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refinement but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. He has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He’ll need to refine his command as he faces more advanced hitters who are less susceptible to chasing his offspeed stuff.

THE FUTURE: Espino has put himself on an accelerated track already and he’ll likely start his first full professional season with low Class A Lake County, where he and righthander Ethan Hankins will team up for a premium 1-2 punch the Indians hope will stick together all the way to Cleveland.
TRACK RECORD: Espino was born in Panama before moving to the United States when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a close to professional mindset. That approach was apparent when he arrived at the Indians' complex in Arizona after they drafted him 24th overall. His performance and mentality allowed him to become first prep player the Indians have promoted to short-season Mahoning Valley during his pro debut since Francisco Lindor in 2011.

SCOUTING REPORT: Espino was one of the best prep pitchers in the draft class and has big overall upside. He's on the shorter end of what teams look for in a righthander, but his excellent athleticism, explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity and his fastball reach 99 mph and sit at 96. He throws both a curveball and slider, with the slider earning better grades as a potential plus pitch. He also throws a firm changeup that needs refinement but has a chance to give him a fourth at least average offering. He has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He'll need to refine his command as he faces more advanced hitters who are less susceptible to chasing his offspeed stuff.

THE FUTURE: Espino has put himself on an accelerated track already and he'll likely start his first full professional season with low Class A Lake County, where he and righthander Ethan Hankins will team up for a premium 1-2 punch the Indians hope will stick together all the way to Cleveland.
No pitcher--high school or college--has as much upside as Georgia righthander Daniel Espino in the 2019 draft. His pure stuff is the loudest of any arm in the class thanks to a fastball that is routinely in the upper 90s and has touched 99-100 mph several times throughout the summer and spring. But it isn't just elite velocity that makes Espino's fastball tick, as the pitch, at times, has riding life to his arm side and cutting action to his glove side. After his fastball, Espino has two seperate breaking balls that look like plus pitches. His curveball sits in the mid-70s, and his slider is thrown in the low 80s. Both have sharp, late-breaking action and are legitimate swing-and-miss offerings when combined with his 80-grade fastball. Espino also throws a firm, upper-80s changeup that has some potential and flashes the look of a solid-average offering, but the pitch will need further refinement. Just grading out the tools, there are only a handful of players who would make sense to be listed above Espino in any draft ranking, but teams are split on the prep righthander because of an unconventional arm action, reliever risk and the recent poor track record of high school pitchers who throw as hard as Espino does at such a young age. Espino's arm action is long, and while his control is solid, scouts believe that he'll need to refine his command at the next level, where hitters won't be as likely to chase secondaries out of the strike zone. Scouts have also noted that Espino's stuff and control are both better when he pitches on longer rest and question how he will perform when he is throwing on a pro schedule. For those who don't knock Espino quite as hard for his arm action, it's easy to point to his elite lower-half strength and mechanics to show why he'll be able to hold up in the future and avoid unnecessary stress on both his elbow and shoulder. The Panamanian-born pitcher gets off the rubber with tremendous force and has solid athleticism and body control, keeping his upper and lower half synced up. Those high on Espino will point to him having the best stuff in the country and the upside of a front-of-the-rotation starter, while those lower on him will see a 6-foot high school righthander with an unconventional arm action and significant risk to end up in the bullpen. Those factors lead to a wide range of potential landing spots in the draft for the Louisiana State commit.