Santiago Espinal

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #22 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Espinal was born in the Dominican Republic, grew up in Florida and spent one season at Miami-Dade JC, where he won the Southern Conference player of the year in 2016. The Red Sox signed him for $50,000 as a 10th-round pick and traded him to the Blue Jays at the 2018 trade deadline for Steve Pearce. Espinal steadily climbed the minors and made the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster in 2020, settling in as a reserve infielder.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: At 26, there isn't much projection left for Espinal, who has the skill set to fit as a utilityman between his bat control and ability to play multiple positions. He has been a high-contact hitter all the way up the minor league ladder, with a low swing-and-miss rate and a good two-strike approach. He manages his at-bats well with solid plate discipline. Espinal has well below-average power, so there's little impact when he connects. Espinal is an average runner with soft hands and a solid-average arm. He's a reliable defender at shortstop and has seen time at second base, third base and center field in his pro career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Espinal lacks the power to be an everyday player. His ability to put the ball in play and move around the diamond are suited to a bench role.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #21 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Born in the Dominican Republic, Espinal grew up in Florida and was a $50,000 signing as a 10th-round pick of the Red Sox in 2016. Two years later, the Red Sox traded him to the Blue Jays for outfielder/first baseman Steve Pearce. In 2019, Espinal performed well enough at the upper levels for the Blue Jays to add him to the 40-man roster after the season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Espinal doesn't have a big ceiling, but he should carve out a major league career with his ability to make contact and fill in at different positions. Espinal has good bat control and a mature two-strike approach, striking out in just 14 percent of his plate appearances in 2019. He has well below-average power, enough for perhaps 8-12 home runs in a full season, but his bat-to-ball skills and feel for the strike zone help him get on base at a solid clip for someone who can play up the middle. An average runner with a slightly above-average arm, Espinal is an athletic player who bounces around between shortstop, second base and center field, with average or better defense at each spot.
  
  THE FUTURE: Unless his power jumps, he is probably stretched thin as an everyday regular, but he has the contact skills and defensive flexibility to be a utilityman, with a good chance to make his major league debut at some point in 2020.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #409 prospect in 2016 draft
  A native of the Dominican Republic, Espinal moved to Florida as a child. He has bounced around a bit due to struggles academically, but in 2015 he led the Florida Collegiate Summer League in hitting and was named MVP. He spent the spring playing for Miami-Dade JC, where he again stood out at the plate. Espinal is a contact-oriented hitter and does a good job of making his above-average speed play. The righthanded hitter has minimal power. He is a solid defender at shortstop, with enough arm strength for the left side of the infield.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Espinal was born in the Dominican Republic, grew up in Florida and spent one season at Miami-Dade JC, where he won the Southern Conference player of the year in 2016. The Red Sox signed him for $50,000 as a 10th-round pick and traded him to the Blue Jays at the 2018 trade deadline for Steve Pearce. Espinal steadily climbed the minors and made the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster in 2020, settling in as a reserve infielder.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: At 26, there isn't much projection left for Espinal, who has the skill set to fit as a utilityman between his bat control and ability to play multiple positions. He has been a high-contact hitter all the way up the minor league ladder, with a low swing-and-miss rate and a good two-strike approach. He manages his at-bats well with solid plate discipline. Espinal has well below-average power, so there's little impact when he connects. Espinal is an average runner with soft hands and a solid-average arm. He's a reliable defender at shortstop and has seen time at second base, third base and center field in his pro career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Espinal lacks the power to be an everyday player. His ability to put the ball in play and move around the diamond are suited to a bench role.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Espinal was born in the Dominican Republic, grew up in Florida and spent one season at Miami-Dade JC, where he won the Southern Conference player of the year in 2016. The Red Sox signed him for $50,000 as a 10th-round pick and traded him to the Blue Jays at the 2018 trade deadline for Steve Pearce. Espinal steadily climbed the minors and made the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster in 2020, settling in as a reserve infielder.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: At 26, there isn't much projection left for Espinal, who has the skill set to fit as a utilityman between his bat control and ability to play multiple positions. He has been a high-contact hitter all the way up the minor league ladder, with a low swing-and-miss rate and a good two-strike approach. He manages his at-bats well with solid plate discipline. Espinal has well below-average power, so there's little impact when he connects. Espinal is an average runner with soft hands and a solid-average arm. He's a reliable defender at shortstop and has seen time at second base, third base and center field in his pro career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Espinal lacks the power to be an everyday player. His ability to put the ball in play and move around the diamond are suited to a bench role.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Born in the Dominican Republic, Espinal grew up in Florida and was a $50,000 signing as a 10th-round pick of the Red Sox in 2016. Two years later, the Red Sox traded him to the Blue Jays for outfielder/first baseman Steve Pearce. In 2019, Espinal performed well enough at the upper levels for the Blue Jays to add him to the 40-man roster after the season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Espinal doesn’t have a big ceiling, but he should carve out a major league career with his ability to make contact and fill in at different positions. Espinal has good bat control and a mature two-strike approach, striking out in just 14 percent of his plate appearances in 2019. He has well below-average power, enough for perhaps 8-12 home runs in a full season, but his bat-to-ball skills and feel for the strike zone help him get on base at a solid clip for someone who can play up the middle. An average runner with a slightly above-average arm, Espinal is an athletic player who bounces around between shortstop, second base and center field, with average or better defense at each spot.
  
  THE FUTURE: Unless his power jumps, he is probably stretched thin as an everyday regular, but he has the contact skills and defensive flexibility to be a utilityman, with a good chance to make his major league debut at some point in 2020. BA GRADE 45 Risk: High BA GRADE 50 Risk: Extreme BA GRADE 40 Risk: Medium
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Born in the Dominican Republic, Espinal grew up in Florida and was a $50,000 signing as a 10th-round pick of the Red Sox in 2016. Two years later, the Red Sox traded him to the Blue Jays for outfielder/first baseman Steve Pearce. In 2019, Espinal performed well enough at the upper levels for the Blue Jays to add him to the 40-man roster after the season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Espinal doesn't have a big ceiling, but he should carve out a major league career with his ability to make contact and fill in at different positions. Espinal has good bat control and a mature two-strike approach, striking out in just 14 percent of his plate appearances in 2019. He has well below-average power, enough for perhaps 8-12 home runs in a full season, but his bat-to-ball skills and feel for the strike zone help him get on base at a solid clip for someone who can play up the middle. An average runner with a slightly above-average arm, Espinal is an athletic player who bounces around between shortstop, second base and center field, with average or better defense at each spot.
  
  THE FUTURE: Unless his power jumps, he is probably stretched thin as an everyday regular, but he has the contact skills and defensive flexibility to be a utilityman, with a good chance to make his major league debut at some point in 2020.