Daniel Espino #66

DANIEL ANDRES ESPINO...Was rated the 23rd-overall prospect entering the '19 MLB Draft (MLB.com)...Posted a senior season ERA of 0.32 (44.0IP, 10H, 2ER, 10BB, 106SO) in nine starts for the Georgia Premier Academy in Statesboro...Moved from Panama to Georgia during his sophomore year of HS (lived with the coaches at Premier)...Then LSU commit was clocked at a then-record 99 miles per hour during the 2018 Under Armour All-America Game (broke Hunter Greene's record)....Pitched for the 18U Team Panama squad in the 2018 COPABE Games...Ranked fourth nationally in the final 2019 PG class rankings...Favorite player growing up was Mariano Rivera, favorite team was the Yankees...Plays the piano avidly in his spare time and took up painting during his shoulder rehab.

2025

Rehabbed entire season in Arizona before joining AAA Columbus in mid-Sept. to conclude rehab, making start on Sept. 20 vs. Omaha (3ER/0.2IP), his first game action since 4/29/2022, a total of 1,239 days...Was used as an opener in the Arizona Fall League over four outings, recording 4.2 scoreless innings (4H, 3BB, 7SO), the last of which came on Oct. 29 (1.2IP, 39 pitches)...Named to Rising Stars All-Star Game (DNP).  

2024

Did not pitch for the second straight season and has been limited to just four starts and 18.1 innings over the last three seasons since 2022, last appearance coming on April 29, 2022 with AA Akron...Reported to Spring Training rehabbing from 2023 shoulder procedure before being shutdown in late Feb. with continued soreness...Underwent second follow-up procedure on March 13 in LA again performed by Dr. ElAttrache to repair the shoulder capsule and rotator cuff...He is expected to rehab much of the 2025 campaign.

2023

Did not pitch during the 2023 campaign after experiencing January soreness in his throwing shoulder ramping up for Spring Training (entered season the consensus top prospect in the system)...Never got off the mound in ST and eventually underwent a right shoulder anterior capsule repair in Los Angeles on May 3, performed Dr. Neal ElAtrrache...Expected to return to game activity in 12-14 months (May-July 2024)... Added to 40-man roster on Nov. 14.

2022

Consensus top prospect in the Cleveland system and #16 in baseball according to MLB.com...Named Best Fastball and Best Slider in Cleveland system by Baseball America...Did not pitch after 4/29 due to right knee and shoulder issues...Led the Eastern League in April strikeouts (35)...Fanned 14 in 5.0 IP (18 batters faced) on 4/23 at Bowie (3H, 0BB)...Batters hit .141 (9-for-64) off him as he fanned 35 of 68 batters faced (51%) in just 18.1 IP...Did not allow a hit in 4.2 IP on 4/15 vs. Reading.

2021

Led organization with 152 strikeouts in just 91.2 IP (14.9SO/9IP)...15th-highest total in all of MiLB...Started year at Low-A Lynchburg and was promoted to Lake County on 7/13...Struck out 10 or more batters in 5 of last 7 starts, fanning 13 on 6/30 vs. Delmarva...Recorded all 12 outs via SO (4.0IP) on 7/30 at Dayton...Listed as the Cleveland #7 overall prospect according to MLB.com.

2020

Spent summer at Cleveland's Alternate Training Site in Lake County at just 19 years of age.