Source: Guardians to call up former top prospect Espino
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CLEVELAND -- We’ve long anticipated and dreamed about Daniel Espino reaching the Major Leagues and impacting the Guardians’ pitching staff. That time is now upon us.
The Guardians are set to promote Espino from Triple-A Columbus ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Tigers, a source told MLB.com on Friday, positioning the right-hander to make his big league debut this weekend at Progressive Field.
Espino will fill the spot on the Guardians’ roster that opened when they optioned right-hander Codi Heuer to Columbus on Thursday.
Espino’s callup comes six years after Cleveland selected him 24th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. The 25-year-old’s journey from that point to now has been defined by incredible perseverance as he has overcome adversity on and off the field.
Espino (who’s ranked as the Guardians’ No. 15 prospect by MLB Pipeline) was on his way to becoming the next success story from the Cleveland Pitching Factory. Armed with a four-seam fastball that reached 103 mph, he was ranked as Pipeline’s No. 16 overall prospect in 2022.
Espino, however, made just four starts in 2022 -- all of which were in April before he missed the rest of the season with right shoulder and right knee injuries. He underwent a pair of right shoulder surgeries, in ‘23 and ‘24, that sidelined him for the entirety of each season. In between those procedures, Espino suffered unimaginable loss off the field, as his father, Danilo, passed away in November ‘23 following a battle with prostate cancer.
“Obviously, it was devastating, because he was not only my father, but my best friend,” Espino said during Spring Training. “He did so much in my life for me to be able to be in the spot I am. The personality that I have is because of him. So that was really rough, especially going through rehab and knowing that when I make it to the big leagues, he's not going to be there.
“It hurts, but I know that he's up there watching me.”
Espino spent the bulk of 2024 and ‘25 at the Guardians’ player development complex in Arizona, rehabbing from his second shoulder surgery and working relentlessly to return to game action. That culminated with him making one appearance as an opener with Columbus on Sept. 20 this past season.
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Espino enjoyed a normal Spring Training this year and made a great impression on the Guardians during camp. He was ultimately optioned to Columbus in March to continue reacquainting himself with game action, which has come with him pitching in a new role. Espino was a member of the Clippers’ bullpen.
Espino (who logged a 5.30 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 18 2/3 innings over 22 appearances with Columbus) has been adjusting to pitching in relief, both in terms of working in a variety of in-game situations and growing accustomed to the physical demands of being a reliever. Whether he could pitch in such a role in the Majors, Espino served as an opener for the first time this season on June 2 with Columbus.
“Daniel works incredibly hard, not just on the mound, but on the days in between,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told MLB.com recently. “His body has handled the demands of pitching out of the bullpen really well. His stuff quality continues to be really good. He's still developing like any young player, but he's made a lot of progress so far.”
That progress has led Espino to Cleveland, in a moment that is already one of the best stories for the Guardians this season.