Daniel Espino

Note: This page is for 2020s pitcher Daniel Espino; for others with the same name, click here.

Daniel Andres Espino

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 205 lb.
• High School Georgia Premier Academy
• Debut June 17, 2026

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

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Daniel Espino was the first 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 3-8, 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.

His career was then upended by injuries. He made just 4 starts for the Akron RubberDucks of the Eastern League in 2022, going 1-0, 2.45, then missed all of 2023 after experiencing shoulder pain in spring training. He had to go an operation, and when he had not healed properly in 2024, underwent a second operation on his shoulder and missed that season as well. In 2025, he was finally able to return to action, but made just one start for the AAA Columbus Clippers, on September 20th, allowing 3 runs in two-thirds of an inning, before pitching in the Arizona Fall League, where he made four starts, totaling just 4 2/3 innings. He was finally healthy in 2026, after hardly pitching at all for four seasons. Used as a reliever, he had made 22 appearances and was 1-1, 5.30 when he was called up on June 12th to what were now the Cleveland Guardians. He waited until June 17th to make his debut, which was an inning of relief in a 9-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers when he retired all three batters he faced, including two by strikeout.

Further Reading

• Tim Stebbins: "Guardians call up former top prospect Espino", mlb.com, June 12, 2026. [1]

Related Sites

• Daniel Espino on mlb.com
• BR Minors page