2025 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #41 RHP Daniel Espino

When will we see the former top prospect pitch again - we will ever?

Bio

• Age (2024 season): 24

• Acquired: 2019 Draft (1st Round)

• 2024 Level: Double-A/Triple-A

• Height: 6’2

• Weight: 225

• Throws: Right

First impression

At one time, perhaps the most electric and exciting pitching prospect in the entire sport. Two double-plus pitches, a physical specimen with emerging command with ace quality potential. Alas, it’s been nearly three seasons since Espino has tossed a competitive pitch in a game thanks to a knee injury and a shoulder injury that has required two surgeries.

2025 Scouting Grades

• Fastball: 70

• Slider: 70

• Curveball: 50

• Changeup: 45

• Command: 45

• Overall: 35+

• Risk: Extreme

• ETA: TBA

What Makes Espino Fun

Be honest, when you started reading this, you thought “wow, Daniel Espino - I forgot about him.” That’s not fun, but a look back at Espino on the mound was about the more exciting pitching prospect as this organization has had since the days of C.C. Sabathia (fun!), Fausto Carmona (there was that one time), Adam Miller (my finger hurt typing that one), Danny Salazar (this isn’t fun anymore, is it?).

Sitting 96-99 for five innings, touching 102 with elite level induced vertical break overpowered most minor league hitters with pretty good control. Pairing that with one of the best, tight, late breaking sliders in the mid-80s was almost unfair. That was almost enough for Espino to dominate in the minors through his brief stint in Double-A. That he also had a curveball he could flip in with vertical drop that was average to above average at times. His changeup was even starting to look like it was at least average, powering in and falling off the table in the upper-80s to low-90s. Espino looked like he was capable of having a Kerry Wood type 20K performance any day.

What Could Hold Espino Back

Even Kerry Wood had better health than Espino. That’s saying something, isn’t it? At this point, it’s hard to know exactly what his stuff will look like when and if he gets back on the mound into a real game. Will he still be throwing in the upper 90s? Will his slider have the same bite? Can he throw strikes? Will he even get healthy?

At this point, it’s unfortunately easier to predict that injuries will likely rob Espino and the baseball community from seeing how special he could have been. There have been some guys who have recovered from his injury, but it’s few and far between, especially given the time off.

Key Metric

April 9, 2022 - That was the last time Espino threw a pitch in a professional game that counted. The other key metric to identify him by could be 51% - his strikeout rate in his 18 1/3 innings that year. Or perhaps the key metric is two - shoulder surgeries Espino has had, which is equal to his missed consecutive seasons.

Intangibles

There were teams and evaluators that were concerned that Espino’s body type, delivery and risk demographic (high school pitchers) would succumb to injuries before he ever made his major league debut. Despite that concern, Espino’s work ethic was second to none. He is a workout warrior and a true physical specimen. He was meticulous with his stretching regiment, and it seemed like that flexibility was a big key in his ability to throw 100 consistently and might just keep him healthy. The work ethic probably hasn’t changed, because rehabbing two shoulder surgeries is no easy feat - physically and mentally. If he makes it back, it will be that work ethic that’s part of the reason.

Future

The easy assumption for many is that if Espino comes back, he would move to the bullpen and be an elite back of the pen reliever next to someone like Emmanuel Clase. But relievers are no less likely to get hurt than a starter. Instead of preparing his body to pitch every five days, he would have to prepare it to pitch possibly back to back days, and even three days in a row maybe? And relievers go 100% every pitch in short bursts. That is just as much an injury risk as trying to start. Espino’s future now is likely more of a tale of what could have been, and a hail mary that he can be one of the few that overcomes injuries and surgeries to even pitch again, let alone ever reach his full potential. When it comes to prospects, looking ahead to what could be is a lot of fun, but it’s equally as painful to look back and look at what could have been for any number of reasons.

Role/Risk

35+/Extreme

Former top pick and prospect that gets every last chance to come back from numerous serious injuries and surgeries until patience and perseverance pays off, or runs out of time