Daniel Espino (2019 draft)

Daniel Andres Espino

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 205 lb.
• High School Georgia Premier Academy

• Born January 5, 2001 in Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá Panama

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Daniel Espino was the 1st choice of the Cleveland Indians in the 2019 amateur draft, with the 24th overall pick. Although born in Panama, he was attending a high school in Georgia at the time, which explains why he was subject to the draft.

He played for two teams in his first professional season in 2019, the AZL Indians Red and the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York-Penn League. In 9 starts, he went 0-3, 3.83, logging just 23 2/3 innings as the Indians deliberately limited his innings. His secondary numbers were quite good, with just 16 hits allowed and 34 strikeouts. He then was forced into inactivity by the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which shut down the minor leagues, then came back in 2021 to pitch at both Class A levels. he started off with the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Low-A East, then was promoted to the Lake County Captains of High-A Central, making 10 starts in each location. Overall, he was 38, 3.73, with just 64 hits allowed in 91 2/3 innings, and a whopping 152 strikeouts, an indication of his having some truly nasty stuff.