Guardians waiting to see what former top prospect Daniel Espino can give them in 2024
The Guardians have a brand new Corvette sitting in the garage, but they're not sure when they might be able to take the tarp off and take it for a spin.
The sports car-type talent in question goes by the name of Daniel Espino, at one point the organization's top prospect. He can reach triple digits with his four-seam fastball, which is complemented by a sharp slider, a power curveball and a developing changeup.
It's the pitching repertoire equivalent of a shiny new muscle car — perhaps an apt description considering Espino has a muscular profile more fitting of a boxer than a pitcher — that can accelerate from 0-to-60 mph in three seconds flat.
Espino will be stuck in "Park" for the time being, though. The potential is sky high, but the possible bottom has been lowered to the basement considering the real concern with Espino's long-term durability.
Get Espino on a race track (mound), and he can be dynamic. But it remains to be seen how many laps he can give the Guardians, at least in 2024 — and possibly beyond.
Last summer, Espino underwent major shoulder surgery to repair a right anterior capsule. The procedure came with a timetable of 12 to 14 months to return to action — for the most part, only Tommy John surgery comes with a longer rehab for pitchers — shutting down the team's top-ranked prospect for at least a calendar year.
At the time of the surgery, Espino was ranked as the No. 14 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline. He has since dropped all the way to the bottom of that list, at No. 100.
Guardians 2024 spring training battles: Breaking down the 3 options at shortstop
Considering his pure stuff on the mound, and the seriousness of his pitching-related injury, it's entirely possible that there isn't a single prospect in baseball with a higher ceiling and a lower floor of realistic outcomes than Espino.
"I'm just going day by day and not worrying about what 2024 is going to look like," Espino said. "Just trying to enjoy being around these guys, trying to enjoy this opportunity, and that's it. I think that I'm a believer and I know that God has something prepared for me, that he is not going to put something in front of me that I'm not going to be able to handle."
Guardians pitcher Daniel Espino hopes to pitch in 2024 after shoulder surgery
All of this has brought into question whether Espino's throwing shoulder and arm can handle the long-term stress and workload of being a starting pitcher. If he runs into any more injury-related speed bumps, he could be converted into a reliever down the road, although with his pure stuff he'd still have the potential to be an elite option out of the bullpen.
For now, the process remains the same as Espino attempts to get back on the mound and continue his progress free of concerns of whether he can be the same pitcher he's been throughout his minor league career. The Guardians would certainly prefer to utilize Espino as a starting pitcher — if it remains a possibility long term.
Espino, while he continues his rehab at the team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz., certainly doesn't have a role change on his mind.
"I'm not thinking about that," Espino said. "I'm just thinking about getting better every single day. I've always said since I was 16 years old, 17 years old, I was born with a destiny and nobody can stop that."
New sherrif: What Stephen Vogt did in his first days of Cleveland Guardians spring training
A full year away from games that even remotely matter isn't an easy hand to deal with for a prospect who only recently turned 23 years old. He won't be on the mound in a minor league game, at the very least, for a few more months.
Espino was asked what a perfect 2024 season for him would look like, and he gave a straightforward answer.
"Get healthy. Pitch one game," he said.
The Guardians can't wait until he can get into first gear again.
Better than ever? Shane Bieber went searching for some power at Driveline; here's what he found
Bad uniforms: Nike Vapor Premier MLB uniforms garnering mixed reviews from Guardians, other teams
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Threads at @ByRyanLewis.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Daniel Espino has the Guardians waiting on their top pitching prospect
