Espino set for 1st game action since 2022

This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins’ Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CLEVELAND -- Daniel Espino’s developmental path has been sidetracked due to multiple injury setbacks. But three and a half years after his last game action, the right-hander will take a significant step toward resuming his pathway to the Majors.

Espino (Cleveland’s No. 30 prospect, per MLB Pipeline) is one of eight Guardians prospects set to play for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League this year. The season, which kicks off on Oct. 6, will mark the first game action for the 24-year-old since April 29, 2022, when he was with Double-A Akron.

“[He’s] really excited about the opportunity and to face other competition,” said Stephen Osterer, the Guardians’ vice president of player development. “[He’s excited] to have the opportunity to do that beyond just the live ABs that he's doing now, and then hopefully continue to build on the things that he did in the past.”

Espino was the Guardians’ No. 2 prospect and No. 53 overall entering the 2022 season. He opened that year with Akron, which marked his first taste of the Double-A level, but was limited to just four starts due to right patellar tendinitis and a right shoulder injury.

Espino experienced right shoulder soreness during Spring Training in 2023 and underwent surgery that May. He underwent a second shoulder surgery last March to repair his capsule and rotator cuff.

Through all the difficult moments and setbacks, Espino has continued to persevere and keep pushing toward his return. Osterer said he has “a ton of grit and determination.”

“He's just a tremendous human being,” Osterer said. “It's been challenging, no doubt, but he's taken every single obstacle and road bump really well and just puts his head down and focuses on the day to day.”

Espino has spent the bulk of the 2025 season at the Guardians’ player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz., where he has been building up. He has thrown live batting practice and bullpen sessions while working on things pitching-wise, such as getting a feel for his offerings. He recently joined Triple-A Columbus to continue that process.

It’s been a while since Espino last pitched in a real game. He allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings in his final start with Akron. The RubberDucks’ lineup that day included Brayan Rocchio at shortstop, Will Brennan in center field and George Valera in right. Bo Naylor pinch-hit, and Nic Enright recorded a two-inning save.

Given Espino’s long layoff, the Guardians’ top focus right now is on him getting into games and facing hitters; they haven't gotten as far as what role he could hold, starting or otherwise, long term. As for the Fall League, the focus is less on the total innings and volume of his workload.

“Obviously, we want to do that in a controlled manner,” Osterer said. “But I think it’s just about how do we get him into games to face hitters, make sure he's recovered for the next one, versus getting into some workload total or building up to a certain number of game pitches or game things.”

Espino’s potential, before the injuries, was tantalizing. As he came up through Cleveland’s system, his arsenal featured a four-seam fastball that sat 95-98 mph and touched 103 mph, plus a mid-80s mph power slider. On April 23, 2022, in his penultimate start, he struck out 14 hitters while allowing two runs on three hits for Akron.

The Guardians selected Espino to their 40-man roster on Nov. 14, 2023. They have been invested in his development for over six years, since initially selecting him in the first round of the 2019 Draft.

They’re looking forward to seeing him get back out there, and that feeling, of course, is mutual.

“He's ready to pitch,” Osterer said. “He’ll be ready to go.”