Anderson Espinoza

Detts

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
5,165
Greenville, SC

 
Age: 17
Born: March 9, 1998
Caracas, VZ
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: Not drafted
How Acquired: International 
free agent (July 2014)
Signing Bonus: $1,800,000
 
#1 international pitching prospect in 2014 (#4 overall) per BA
 
Pitched 4 games in the DSL before being promoted to GCL  http://news.soxprospects.com/2015/06/anderson-espinoza-to-be-promoted-to-gcl.html
 
 
steveofbradenton on Soxprospects gave a scouting report on his 6/30/15 start:
 

Well Anderson Espinoza did not disappoint folks. He is very poised and slightly bigger than I thought he was. I think you'll be able to see from the pictures he may be somewhat heavier than the 160 (170?) they had him down for. I guess MacDonalds (or the Waffle House) is working wonders.
 
According to an Arizona Diamondback scout he hit a high of 97 in the 2nd and 3rd, but was primarily between 94 and 96 with his 4-seamer. He threw his curve and change-up with a lot of confidence. His curve was about 78 to 79. The change was around 84. 
 
There was only one ball that was struck well off him and it was a solid single to right by a right handed hitter who just went with the pitch. His mechanics, to me, look free and easy and easily repeated. He looks damn confident and has reasons to feel that way. Physically he, I hate saying this, looked like Pedro. I believe he can easily put on another solid 10 pounds. He seemed to be pretty athletic when getting over to first a couple of times and fielding his position once.
 
Enjoy the photos. I can be too optimistic at times, but he looks like the real deal to me. :)
 
Link with pictures of his start:  http://forum.soxprospects.com/thread/2821/gameday-thread-anderson-espinoza-closes
 
And here he is with Pedro:
 

 
 

 
 
 

Snodgrass'Muff

oppresses WARmongers
SoSH Member
Mar 11, 2008
27,644
Roanoke, VA
This kid has been spectacular to start the year. 15 innings pitched in the DSL with a 21/3 K/BB ratio and a 1.20 ERA, then after being promoted to the GCL Sox followed that with 16 IP and a 12/5 ratio to go with a nifty 1.12 ERA.
 

pantsparty

Member
SoSH Member
May 2, 2011
555
Ben Badler of Baseball America loves him.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/baseball-america-prospect-chat-5/
 
Mike (Virginia): Any updates on Anderson Espinoza now that he is state-side? What is his ceiling?

Ben Badler: Hes electric. Fastball up to 99 mph, plus curveball, feel for a changeup, pounds the strike zone and mixes his pitches like a veteran, not a 17-year-old kid. I would take him over any of the pitchers in the 2015 draft, which is really saying something given that if Espinoza were born in the United States, he wouldnt even be draft-eligible until next season.
 

Detts

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
5,165
Greenville, SC
Sprowl said:
Those fingers are Rondovian. They might even be Pedrovian.
I actually picked that picture because a lot of the articles on him pre and post draft mentioned his massive hand size.
 

jscola85

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
1,305
So I assume that if Espinoza continues to dominate, the plan will be Greenville next year?  That's aggressive for a would-be 18 year old but seems like it would make sense to stretch him out in full season ball rather than play 2016 in Lowell.
 

Buzzkill Pauley

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 30, 2006
10,569
SouthernBoSox said:
That's an unbelievably refined, and strong, delivery for a 17 year old.
 
Do. Not. Trade.
Word.

There should probably be no player more "untouchable" in the Sox org at this single moment in time.
 

Detts

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
5,165
Greenville, SC
Rasputin said:
I really hope he's in Greenville next year, I wanna see this kid.
 
There is a strong chance he could be in Greenville.  Kopech and Owens went straight out of HS to Greenville.
 

jscola85

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
1,305
chrisfont9 said:
Some highlights:
 
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/anderson-espinoza-lives-hype/
 
The tailing action on that fastball is unreal. Righty hitters must be terrified up there.
 
He did plunk a guy in the Facebook video, so seems the command of that pitch is still TBD, but if/when he refines it, he will be very, very dangerous.  Few guys have that kind of life on a fastball, let alone at 95+ MPH.
 

WenZink

New Member
Apr 23, 2010
1,078
Detts said:
 
There is a strong chance he could be in Greenville.  Kopech and Owens went straight out of HS to Greenville.
 
The only difference is that Kopech and Owens both turned 19 their first year in Low A.  Espinoza would be 18.  I took a very brief look to see if I could find any Dominican signings that hit Low A at 18 (like Stolmy Pimental or Anibal Sanchez) and couldn't find any.  Know of any?
 

Pilgrim

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 24, 2006
2,406
Jamaica Plain
WenZink said:
 
The only difference is that Kopech and Owens both turned 19 their first year in Low A.  Espinoza would be 18.  I took a very brief look to see if I could find any Dominican signings that hit Low A at 18 (like Stolmy Pimental or Anibal Sanchez) and couldn't find any.  Know of any?
You mean just pitchers?  Because Devers is doing it right now.
 
I think Espinoza will absolutely start in Greenville next year.
 

Detts

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
5,165
Greenville, SC
Pilgrim said:
You mean just pitchers?  Because Devers is doing it right now.
 
I think Espinoza will absolutely start in Greenville next year.
 
Add Boegarts, Rijo, and Lin to that list from recent years.
 
Espinoza has thrown 39 innings in 10 games (3.9 per game).  He is not being 'babied'.  
 
I just don't see them making Espinoza spend the first half of next season in XST before moving up to Lowell in mid-year.
 

jscola85

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
1,305
Hopefully he gets another 20-25 innings in the GCL, and then will be ready to throw 90-100 innings in 2016 for Greenville.  That would set him on a good path in terms of being stretched out.
 

WenZink

New Member
Apr 23, 2010
1,078
Pilgrim said:
You mean just pitchers?  Because Devers is doing it right now.
 
I think Espinoza will absolutely start in Greenville next year.
 
Yes, of course, just pitchers.  Find anyone in the Sox organization over the last dozen years or so?  Given the fact that Espinoza is still "growing," at 17?d
Just checked back to 2005, and the Sox have not had an 18 year old pitcher at Low A during the last decade.  I'd have to doubt that Espinoza would be the first.  Can you imagine the uproar if they promote him in 2016, and he flames our, or worse, suffers a serious arm injury?
 

ALiveH

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 23, 2010
1,104
Have the sox had a better 18-year old pitching prospect in the past decade?  I can't think of any.
 

Detts

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
5,165
Greenville, SC
WenZink said:
 
Yes, of course, just pitchers.  Find anyone in the Sox organization over the last dozen years or so?  Given the fact that Espinoza is still "growing," at 17?d
Just checked back to 2005, and the Sox have not had an 18 year old pitcher at Low A during the last decade.  I'd have to doubt that Espinoza would be the first.  Can you imagine the uproar if they promote him in 2016, and he flames our, or worse, suffers a serious arm injury?
 
Devers did 28 DSL games and then 42 GCL games @ 17, then hit Greenville this year.
 
Devers spent more time in the DSL than Espinoza.  I'll bet you $100 towards the Jimmy Fund that Espinoza is in Greenville next year.  
 
Just like Devers, this kid is not your normal 17 year old.  Not even close.
 

WenZink

New Member
Apr 23, 2010
1,078
Detts said:
 
Devers did 28 DSL games and then 42 GCL games @ 17, then hit Greenville this year.
 
Devers spent more time in the DSL than Espinoza.  I'll bet you $100 towards the Jimmy Fund that Espinoza is in Greenville next year.  
 
Just like Devers, this kid is not your normal 17 year old.  Not even close.
 18 year old positional players are a different thing altogether.  You only have to go back to last year to see 18 year old Wendell Rijo playing at Greenville.  But, again, no Red Sox 18 year old pitchers in low A, full season ball, at least over the last 10 years.
 
There's little upside to rushing a kid like Espinoza, but the downside is incalculable.  Let him mature and adapt to the culture before pushing him.
 

WenZink

New Member
Apr 23, 2010
1,078
ALiveH said:
Have the sox had a better 18-year old pitching prospect in the past decade?  I can't think of any.
 
Back in 1994, the Sox drafted Carl Pavano out of Southington HS in Conn., and he then went to the Gulf Coast league, still at 18, and posted some incredible numbers in 44 IP.:  47K/7BB, .086 WHIP, 1.84 ERA, and just 1 homer allowed.  Incredibly, Pavano was drafted in the 13th round that year.  I can't think of anyone else, since, that was that good at age 18.  Espinoza is just 17.
 
ALiveH said:
Have the sox had a better 18-year old pitching prospect in the past decade?  I can't think of any.
 
My immediate thought was Frankie Rodriguez.  He debuted in High A Ball and put up some solid numbers for being so young compared to that league:
 
3.09 ERA
1.27 WHIP
7.8 K/9
 
But after googling him, he was 19 years old.  
 
 
So I cheated and googled Chad Finn's old column he did on Boston's best prospects.  You have to go back to 1967 - Ken Brett.  In A and AA Ball as an 18 year old he put up these numbers with 189 IP (!):
 
1.95 ERA
1.196 WHIP
10.4 K/9
 
But your overall point still stands, Espinoza looks like a special arm.  
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,680
Josias Manzanillo was pitching in the Sally league as a 17 year old, which was more recent than Brett, but still like 30 years ago, I think.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
WenZink said:
 
Yes, of course, just pitchers.  Find anyone in the Sox organization over the last dozen years or so?  Given the fact that Espinoza is still "growing," at 17?d
Just checked back to 2005, and the Sox have not had an 18 year old pitcher at Low A during the last decade.  I'd have to doubt that Espinoza would be the first.  Can you imagine the uproar if they promote him in 2016, and he flames our, or worse, suffers a serious arm injury?
Because he can't flameout or suffer a serious arm injury in GCL or Lowell?
 

Papelbon's Poutine

Homeland Security
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2005
19,615
Portsmouth, NH
WenZink said:
 
Yes, of course, just pitchers.  Find anyone in the Sox organization over the last dozen years or so?  Given the fact that Espinoza is still "growing," at 17?d
Just checked back to 2005, and the Sox have not had an 18 year old pitcher at Low A during the last decade.  I'd have to doubt that Espinoza would be the first.  Can you imagine the uproar if they promote him in 2016, and he flames our, or worse, suffers a serious arm injury?
I hardly think anyone in the organization is worried about any "uproar". Who is it coming from? Scouts? A couple thousand prospect geeks like us around here? Because other than those two groups, barely anyone has even heard of this kid yet. They will promote him as aggressively as they can, as they have mostly done with all their prospects under this regime.
 

WenZink

New Member
Apr 23, 2010
1,078
bosox79 said:
Because he can't flameout or suffer a serious arm injury in GCL or Lowell?

 
Papelbon's Poutine said:
I hardly think anyone in the organization is worried about any "uproar". Who is it coming from? Scouts? A couple thousand prospect geeks like us around here? Because other than those two groups, barely anyone has even heard of this kid yet. They will promote him as aggressively as they can, as they have mostly done with all their prospects under this regime.
 
yeah, Espinoza could suffer a serious arm injury taking a shower, but if it happened while he was the first 18 year old pitching in a full season at Greenville, someone's going to lose their job.  So I would guess that any pitching instructor will be very conservative in his recommendations for this kid.
 
There's no upside to rushing him, except to please a "couple thousand prospect geeks like us."  Are you hoping he'll be the next Josias Manzanillo?
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,680
Manzanillo's problem wasn't injuries, the bastard just couldn't throw strikes. I caught him pitching in Elmira as a 16 year old. The fastball moved, everywhere. I don't think Espinoza has that problem.
 

Rasputin

Will outlive SeanBerry
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 4, 2001
29,423
Not here
WenZink said:
 
yeah, Espinoza could suffer a serious arm injury taking a shower, but if it happened while he was the first 18 year old pitching in a full season at Greenville, someone's going to lose their job.  So I would guess that any pitching instructor will be very conservative in his recommendations for this kid.
 
There's no upside to rushing him, except to please a "couple thousand prospect geeks like us."  Are you hoping he'll be the next Josias Manzanillo?
 
Why the hell would anyone lose their job if a kid got hurt in Greenville instead of Lowell? If there's an innings limit, there's an innings limit, and where he throws them isn't going to make him more or less injury prone.
 
They will make their decision based on his performance and their assessment of whatever off field stuff they take into account. They'll be fairly aggressive because they tend to do that with their studly prospects.
 

ehaz

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 30, 2007
4,948
Am I reading this right? The separation on his FB/CH is like, 15 MPH... That right there is Cole Hamels/Johan Santana level separation.
 

Rasputin

Will outlive SeanBerry
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 4, 2001
29,423
Not here
Just so we're not always talking about how awesome he is and where he's going to play next year, I have a question.
 
Should we start up a kickstarter to pay him to change his first name to Alvaro?
 
I'll hang up and listen.
 
Actually, I won't. The Savannah team is moving to Columbia for 2016 which means I'll be only an hour or so away from seeing all the Greenville guys. I seriously cannot wait to see this kid.
 

Detts

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
5,165
Greenville, SC
Rasputin said:
Just so we're not always talking about how awesome he is and where he's going to play next year, I have a question.
 
Should we start up a kickstarter to pay him to change his first name to Alvaro?
 
I'll hang up and listen.
 
Actually, I won't. The Savannah team is moving to Columbia for 2016 which means I'll be only an hour or so away from seeing all the Greenville guys. I seriously cannot wait to see this kid.
I'd host a Greenville bash if this happens.
 

semsox

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 14, 2004
1,742
Charlottesville
Not surprising when you're rocking a 13.3% FB rate. He's been unbelievable great so far. Really curious as to how aggressive they are with him next year.
 

jscola85

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
1,305
Wake's knuckle said:
A man among boys.... only he's a boy among men.
 
Well, he is in the GCL...so a boy among older boys.  Still, the kid screams front-line starter right now with his K rate, velocity, and extreme groundball tendencies.
 

WenZink

New Member
Apr 23, 2010
1,078
Wake's knuckle said:
A man among boys.... only he's a boy among men.
 
Another superlative outing today, with just 12 batters faced in 4 IP. 0 BB, 7 K's and one infield hit, erased on a DP.
 
Espinoza is being held to only 4 IP, even though he's obviously not having any high-stress innings.  This is in contrast to his teammate, Roniel Raudes who, is just two months older than Espinoza, who has averaged 5 IP in both his DSL and GCL starts this year.  Not sure why, unless they're being very careful with this kid.
 

Wake's knuckle

New Member
Nov 15, 2006
565
Aarhus, Denmark
I guess low minors is about development. If he's not being challenged... there's no point in doing anything more than getting him some game experience and getting him out of there...
 

kieckeredinthehead

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 26, 2006
8,635
Just to get this out of the way.. Jose Fernandez threw 4 innings at age 18 in rookie league / A ball. He threw 134 innings at age 19 in A/high A, with 10.6 K/9, 4.51 K:BB, 1.75 ERA. At age 20, he pitches a full season in the big leagues. That's not happening with Espinoza, right?
 

nvalvo

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
21,510
Rogers Park
Well, it's not really comparable, but one Justin Verlander was promoted to the big leagues after 20 minor league starts. He was 22, though. 
 

Wake's knuckle

New Member
Nov 15, 2006
565
Aarhus, Denmark
I mean, you want to keep moving him up until he's getting challenged a little. Right now, he's clearly not. Do I support them sending him out for 4 innings at a time? Absolutely... I mean, the kid hasn't even gotten his full growth, much less filled out. Be gentle with that arm. As they say, he's only got a certain amount of bullets in that gun. Use them wisely... the history of pitching prodigies breaking down at a young age is not a good read.