Anderson Espinoza

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #19 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Espinoza was one of baseball's top pitching prospects when the Red Sox traded him to the Padres for Drew Pomeranz at the 2016 all-star break. MLB later suspended Padres general manager A.J. Preller for 30 days after ruling he did not disclose Pomeranz's complete medical history to Boston. Espinoza, however, is the one whose injuries have been a bigger problem. He's had two Tommy John surgeries and has not pitched in a game since 2016.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite having not pitched in four seasons, Espinoza will still be only 22 when spring training begins and has shown signs of his arm strength returning. He returned to the mound at the alternate training site and his fastball sat 94-96 mph and touched 98 mph with little effort during instructional league. He threw his fastball for strikes and, most importantly, had no setbacks. Espinoza's secondaries have further to go. He has not spun the ball well since returning and has yet to regain a feel for his once-dominant changeup after the long layoff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Espinoza's youth and arm strength remain intriguing after all this time. Staying healthy will be his primary goal in 2021.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #12 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Espinoza ranked as the top pitching prospect in the 2014 international class and signed with the Red Sox for $1.8 million. The Padres acquired him for Drew Pomeranz at the 2016 All-Star break. After flashing brilliance in his first Padres appearances, Espinoza missed all of 2017 and 2018 with forearm soreness followed by Tommy John surgery.
  
  Scouting Report: Prior to surgery, Espinoza teased as an electric righthander in the mold of the late Yordano Ventura. Espinoza has an athletic delivery and a lightning-quick arm, firing 95-98 fastballs with late tail to both sides of the plate. His mid-80s changeup gives him another plus or better pitch, and his upper 70s curveball with 11-to-5 shape was rapidly improving and flashing plus as well. But after two seasons away and multiple missed recovery targets--Espinoza did not pitch in instructional league as had been planned--whether that stuff still exists is an open question.
  
  The Future: Espinoza began to throw bullpens around Thanksgiving, giving the Padres cautious optimism that he will return to games in 2019. He will be rolled out slowly and targeted for 90 innings.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #7 prospect in 2018
  The Padres acquired the touted Espinoza from the Red Sox for Drew Pomeranz at the 2016 all-star break, and the deal carried repercussions. Major League Baseball later ruled the Padres did not properly disclose Pomeranz's medical history and suspended general manager A.J. Preller 30 days over the deal. In a twist of fate, Espinoza missed all of 2017 due to injury and projects to miss all of 2018 too. He began the year on the disabled list with forearm soreness, aborted two rehab attempts, and ultimately had Tommy John surgery in August. When healthy, Espinoza is an undersized righthander with an electric arm who draws comparisons with the late Yordano Ventura. With an athletic delivery and a lightning-fast arm, Espinoza works 95-98 mph with his four-seam fastball with so much late tail it looks a two-seamer. He pitches to both sides of the plate and complements his heater with a dastardly mid-80s changeup. His upper-70s curveball had made strides and flashed plus with 11-to-5 movement. Durability is Espinoza's main concern after he visibly tired the second half of his 108-inning run in 2016, and he now will miss two full seasons with arm trouble. Espinoza has front-of-the-rotation stuff, but it remains to be seen if it will come back post-surgery. He is scheduled to begin his throwing program in January, and his return to the mound is targeted for 2018 instructional league.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #1 prospect in 2017
  While some teenage international standouts fly under the radar, Espinoza is one whose promise has been evident for some time. Considered the top available pitcher by a wide margin in the 2014 international class, he signed with the Red Sox for $1.8 million. If Espinoza felt any pressure from the lofty expectations he never showed it, zooming all the way from the Dominican Summer League to low Class A in 2015, his age-17 season, and ranking as one of baseball's top prospects one year after signing. The Red Sox were reluctant to part with him but ultimately did in a one-for-one swap for Drew Pomeranz two days after Pomeranz pitched in the 2016 All-Star Game as a member of the host Padres. The lean Espinoza is not physically intimidating but possesses a strong lower half and electric arm speed that allows him to nonetheless pitch with elite velocity. He is not dissimilar from fellow 6-foot flamethrower Yordano Ventura in that regard. Espinoza's 95-98 mph four-seam fastball possesses so much late tail away from lefthanded batters that Padres broadcaster and former major league pitcher Mark Grant confused it for a two-seamer--a mistake made by others before him--and Espinoza commands it masterfully to both sides of the plate. His main secondary pitch is a mid-80s changeup that is above-average on a bad day and "simply fantastic" in the words of one opposing scout on a good one. His upper-70s curveball lacks consistency but still flashes plus with 11-to-5 movement. Spotty command of his breaking pitches led to Espinoza getting hit more often at low Class A in 2016 than his pure stuff indicates he should, and he also struggled with trying to be too fine at times rather than attacking hitters. He admitted being a bit shell-shocked after being traded and struggled in his first few outings in the Padres system, but he adjusted and finished strong with 10 strikeouts and just two runs allowed in his final two starts at Fort Wayne. He continued that with a dominant 1-2-3 inning in the Padres' futures game at Petco Park on Oct. 7, where he struck out two Rangers batters. His exceptional performance on a big stage at Petco was nothing new for Espinoza, who draws raves for his ability to reach back and find something extra in big moments. He possesses exceptional makeup and intelligence, signified both by his poise on the mound and the fact he learned English almost fluently by age 18, less than two years after first coming to the U.S. Ventura is a common comparison for Espinoza in terms of size and raw stuff, but Espinoza does it easier and possesses superior makeup and maturity that should help him surpass the Royals righthander. He has all the tools to become a front-of-the-rotation ace and will look to solidify that profile atop high Class A Lake Elsinore's rotation in 2017.
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #4 prospect in 2016
  The Red Sox considered Espinoza to be the jewel of the 2014 international pitching class when they signed him for $1.8 million. Yet not even Boston anticipated what he became in 2015. Espinoza touched the mid-90s in spring training and eventually reached triple digits while breezing from the Dominican Summer League all the way to low Class A Greenville as a 17-year-old. Espinoza's precocious feel for a high-quality, three-pitch mix and efficient delivery are uncommon traits for a teen, to say the least. Despite his slight build, he generates striking velocity with an easy, repeatable delivery, while also featuring a curveball and changeup that grade as big league average now, with plenty of projection for improved command. The fact that Espinoza throws so hard at such a young age and with such a slight build raises questions about whether he can remain healthy. But if he can, he has obvious front-of-the-rotation talent and makeup and intelligence to maximize his ability. Espinoza probably will start 2016 where he ended 2015: at Greenville. If he stays healthy, evaluators believe that he could reach the big leagues by the time he turns 20 in 2018--or perhaps sooner, depending on how Boston decides to parcel his innings.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #4 prospect in 2016
  Espinoza entered the season with almost impossible expectations, many of which he has set himself. He said he wanted to reach the big leagues at age 19, just like Felix Hernandez, his favorite player growing up. Instead, Espinoza learned that full-season ball can be difficult for any 18-year-old, even one with outstanding stuff. Another difficulty: The Red Sox traded him in July to the Padres for Drew Pomeranz. Espinoza's stuff is advanced, and he knows how to sequence. He throws in the mid-90s with a low-effort delivery. His changeup is a present plus pitch that baffles young hitters, but his curveball took a step back in 2016. It rarely was the sharp, power breaking ball he flashed last year. Espinoza got into trouble when he tried to be too perfect. Instead of attacking hitters with his fastball, he tended to try to pitch to the corners, which ran up his pitch count, which typically ranged from 75-95 while at Greenville.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #1 prospect in 2015
  Espinoza was the best pitching prospect on the international market last year when the Red Sox signed him for $1.8 million. Since then, his stock has skyrocketed. After a conservative assignment to the Dominican Summer League, Espinoza moved to the GCL at the end of June and continued to overmatch hitters, though the Red Sox kept a tight leash on his workload and he never threw more than four innings in an outing. Espinoza has outstanding arm speed, a free-and-easy arm action and a thin frame, so scouts projected him to gain velocity once he signed, which is exactly what happened. After touching 94 mph last year, his fastball sat 94-98 this year and touched 100 mph. Espinoza uses a sharp, upper-70s curveball with tight spin that he will overthrow at times but flashes plus with power and two-plane break. He maintains his arm speed on his changeup, which bottoms out of the zone with late sink and projects as a plus pitch. He has a simple, repeatable delivery that helps him throw plenty of strikes, and his feel for pitching is beyond his years. The Red Sox knew Espinoza had a small stress fracture in his right elbow before he signed and opted to let him rest and rehab, which has worked well so far. If Espinoza reaches his ceiling, he could be a No. 1 starter.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #21 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #19 prospect in 2016

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Espinoza was one of baseball's top pitching prospects when the Red Sox traded him to the Padres for Drew Pomeranz at the 2016 all-star break. MLB later suspended Padres general manager A.J. Preller for 30 days after ruling he did not disclose Pomeranz's complete medical history to Boston. Espinoza, however, is the one whose injuries have been a bigger problem. He's had two Tommy John surgeries and has not pitched in a game since 2016.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite having not pitched in four seasons, Espinoza will still be only 22 when spring training begins and has shown signs of his arm strength returning. He returned to the mound at the alternate training site and his fastball sat 94-96 mph and touched 98 mph with little effort during instructional league. He threw his fastball for strikes and, most importantly, had no setbacks. Espinoza's secondaries have further to go. He has not spun the ball well since returning and has yet to regain a feel for his once-dominant changeup after the long layoff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Espinoza's youth and arm strength remain intriguing after all this time. Staying healthy will be his primary goal in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Espinoza was one of baseball's top pitching prospects when the Red Sox traded him to the Padres for Drew Pomeranz at the 2016 all-star break. MLB later suspended Padres general manager A.J. Preller for 30 days after ruling he did not disclose Pomeranz's complete medical history to Boston. Espinoza, however, is the one whose injuries have been a bigger problem. He's had two Tommy John surgeries and has not pitched in a game since 2016.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite having not pitched in four seasons, Espinoza will still be only 22 when spring training begins and has shown signs of his arm strength returning. He returned to the mound at the alternate training site and his fastball sat 94-96 mph and touched 98 mph with little effort during instructional league. He threw his fastball for strikes and, most importantly, had no setbacks. Espinoza's secondaries have further to go. He has not spun the ball well since returning and has yet to regain a feel for his once-dominant changeup after the long layoff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Espinoza's youth and arm strength remain intriguing after all this time. Staying healthy will be his primary goal in 2021.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Padres acquired the touted Espinoza from the Red Sox for Drew Pomeranz at the 2016 all-star break. Major League Baseball later ruled the Padres did not properly disclose Pomeranz's medical history and suspended general manager A.J. Preller 30 days over the deal. In a twist of fate, Espinoza missed all of 2017 due to injury and projects to miss all of 2018 too after having Tommy John surgery in August. Scouting Report: When healthy, Espinoza is an undersized righthander with an electric arm who draws comparisons with the late Yordano Ventura. With an athletic delivery and a lightning-fast arm, Espinoza works 95-98 mph with his four-seam fastball with so much late tail it looks a two-seamer. He pitches to both sides of the plate and complements his heater with a dastardly mid-80s changeup. His upper-70s curveball had made strides and flashed plus with 11-to-5 movement. Durability is Espinoza's main concern after he visibly tired the second half of his 108-inning run in 2016. The Future: Espinoza has front-of-the-rotation stuff, but it remains to be seen if it will come back post-surgery. He will begin his throwing program in January.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: While some teenage international standouts fly under the radar, Espinoza is one whose promise has been evident for some time. Considered the top available pitcher by a wide margin in the 2014 international class, he signed with the Red Sox for $1.8 million. If Espinoza felt any pressure from the lofty expectations he never showed it, zooming all the way from the Dominican Summer League to low Class A in 2015, his age-17 season, and ranking as one of baseball's top prospects one year after signing. The Red Sox were reluctant to part with him but ultimately did in a one-for-one swap for Drew Pomeranz two days after Pomeranz pitched in the 2016 All-Star Game as a member of the host Padres. Scouting Report: The lean Espinoza is not physically intimidating but possesses a strong lower half and electric arm speed that allows him to nonetheless pitch with elite velocity. He is not dissimilar from fellow 6-foot flamethrower Yordano Ventura in that regard. Espinoza's 95-98 mph four-seam fastball possesses so much late tail away from lefthanded batters that Padres broadcaster and former major league pitcher Mark Grant confused it for a two-seamer--a mistake made by others before him--and Espinoza commands it masterfully to both sides of the plate. His main secondary pitch is a mid-80s changeup that is above-average on a bad day and "simply fantastic" in the words of one opposing scout on a good one. His upper-70s curveball lacks consistency but still flashes plus with 11-to-5 movement. Spotty command of his breaking pitches led to Espinoza getting hit more often at low Class A in 2016 than his pure stuff indicates he should, and he also struggled with trying to be too fine at times rather than attacking hitters. He admitted being a bit shell-shocked after being traded and struggled in his first few outings in the Padres system, but he adjusted and finished strong with 10 strikeouts and just two runs allowed in his final two starts at Fort Wayne. He continued that with a dominant 1-2-3 inning in the Padres' futures game at Petco Park on Oct. 7, where he struck out two Rangers batters. His exceptional performance on a big stage at Petco was nothing new for Espinoza, who draws raves for his ability to reach back and find something extra in big moments. He possesses exceptional makeup and intelligence, signified both by his poise on the mound and the fact he learned English almost fluently by age 18, less than two years after first coming to the U.S. The Future: Ventura is a common comparison for Espinoza in terms of size and raw stuff, but Espinoza does it easier and possesses superior makeup and maturity that should help him surpass the Royals righthander. He has all the tools to become a front-of-the-rotation ace and will look to solidify that profile atop high Class A Lake Elsinore's rotation to begin 2017. If he stays healthy and all goes according to plan, Espinoza should be in line to make his Padres debut by 2018 as a 20-year-old.