Edwin Escobar

[mabrowndog]

Edwin Jose Escobar
LHSP
 

 
DOB: April 22, 1992
Born: La Sabana, Vargas, Venezuela
B/T: Left/Left
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 195 lbs
Signed: IFA on July 2, 2008
By: Texas Rangers (Scouts: Wilmer Becerra & Rafic Saab)
Bonus: $350,000
Acquired: 7/26/2014 from San Francisco Giants (Traded with RHRP Heath Hembree to Boston for RHSP Jake Peavy and cash considerations)
Roster Status: Boston 40-man
Options Used: 2 of 3 (2013, 2014)
 
LINKS
 
* Baseball-Reference.com page
* MiLB.com page
* SoxProspects profile
* Baseball America page
* Baseball Prospectus page
* Baseball Cube page
* Fangraphs page
* Minor League Central page
 
 

 

 
 
SCOUTING REPORTS
 
* Ranked as Giants #2 prospect and MLB overall #56 prospect pre-2014 by Baseball America.
 
* 2014 BA Prospect Handbook:
 

Escobar always had size and strength, but he got himself in better condition and made an adjustment to raise his elbow in his delivery, allowing him to locate his 92-93 mph fastball, and for the first time, throw a dependable breaking ball. He gained confidence in his slider and it’s a plus offering at times that he can throw early in the count or as a put-away pitch. His changeup also ranges from average to plus, and he held righthanded hitters to a .222 average. Escobar has a durable arm and likes to throw a lot between starts, so a bullpen role isn’t out of the question. He was pitching in that role in the Venezuelan League, but his three-pitch mix offers too much potential as a starter.

 
* Ranked as Red Sox #11 prospect by MLB.com after 2014 non-waiver trade deadline (was rated the MLB overall #68 prospect in pre-season):
 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50
 
Escobar has a good feel for pitching, and he can add or subtract velocity and movement to his low-90s fastball as the situation requires. His slider lacks consistency at times but is an out pitch at its best. He has good feel for his changeup, giving him the potential for three average-or-better pitches.Escobar can throw all of his pitches for strikes and isn't afraid to use them in any count. He has a solid, durable build and profiles as a middle-of-the-rotation starter.

 
* SoxProspects.com profile:
 

[SIZE=8pt]Lefty starter with good pitchability. Fastball sits in the low-90s. Good changeup. Slider flashes plus at times versus lefties. Had an excellent 2013 season, but has struggled with home runs this season in the PCL. Very good numbers against lefties, mainly due to his slider. Projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter or reliever. [/SIZE]

 

[mabrowndog]

Escobar won his PawSox debut last night with an impressive outing: 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 90 pitches, 55 strikes
 
ProJo.com
 

The Pacific Coast League, this is not.
 
“I noticed it’s a lot different today,” Edwin Escobar said. “I feel more comfortable here. I had more confident because I know the ball isn’t just going to be anywhere.”
 
Ranked by Baseball America as one of the game’s top 100 prospects, Escobar was battered to the tune of a 5.11 ERA in 20 starts at Triple-A Fresno this season. But the Pacific Coast League has long been known for its hitter-friendly ballparks, often at altitude. The average pitcher in the PCL has a 4.58 ERA; the average pitcher in the International League has a 4.08 ERA.
 
True to form, in his first start since the Red Sox acquired him as part of the Jake Peavy deal, Escobar pitched six strong innings for the PawSox against the Syracuse Chiefs, striking out five and walking one. He allowed a run in the first inning on a pair of doubles but wiggled out of a first-and-third jam — and then cruised from there.
 
“He did a great job,” said PawSox catcher Matt Spring, who hit his first Triple-A home run in the game. “The game didn’t start the way he wanted to, but he battled and competed and got us through six. He’s got some really good stuff. He’s got good life on his fastball and really good command of offspeed pitches. He threw them for a strike when he needed to. He bounced them when he needed to. He was impressive to me today.”
 
“He’s got some pitchability and some life to his fastball,” PawSox manager Kevin Boles said. “He was able to slow the ball down. I thought his breaking ball showed some quality. He’s got a feel for a changeup. He attacks the zone. He repeats his delivery. He was very impressive.”

 

[j44thor]

Two years from now I think this will be remembered as the best pickup at the trade deadline.
Just a hunch but this guy seems to have a #2 ceiling and is still very young.
 
Really looking forward to seeing what he can do the rest of this year and next.

 

[Stan Papi Was Framed]

Escobar won his PawSox debut last night with an impressive outing: 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 90 pitches, 55 strikes
 
ProJo.com
 

encouraging start, very nice to see.  I never fully understand what "pitchability" is, but sounds good.  Will be interesting to see how he does for the rest of the year and whether he can force himself into the rotation discussion for next year.

 

[mabrowndog]

I never fully understand what "pitchability" is, but sounds good.

 

 
"To me it's just a made-up word. A statistician's word. A word so young writers like them can wear mustard-stained Sox jerseys and cargo shorts... and have a job. What do you really want to know? Am I sorry for how he pitched? Not a day goes by I don't feel regret. Not because my prospect lost, or because you think he sucks. I look back on the way he was then: a young, talented kid who hung a curve to that terrible hitter. I want to talk to him. I want to try and talk some sense to him, tell him the way things are. But I can't. That kid's long gone... and his declining velocity is all that's left. I got to live with that. Pitchability? It's just a bullshit word. So you just go on and submit your scouting report, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don't give a shit."

 

[Rough Carrigan]

 

 
"To me it's just a made-up word. A statistician's word. A word so young writers like them can wear mustard-stained Sox jerseys and cargo shorts... and have a job. What do you really want to know? Am I interested in how he did? Not a day goes by I don't feel regret. Not because my prospect lost, or because you think he sucks. I look back on the way he was then: a young, talented kid who hung a curve to that terrible hitter. I want to talk to him. I want to try and talk some sense to him, tell him the way things are. But I can't. That kid's long gone... and his declining velocity is all that's left. I got to live with that. Pitchability? It's just a bullshit word. So you just go on and submit your scouting report, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don't give a shit."

Magnifique!

 

[bradmahn]

 

 
"To me it's just a made-up word. A statistician's word. A word so young writers like them can wear mustard-stained Sox jerseys and cargo shorts... and have a job. What do you really want to know? Am I sorry for how he pitched? Not a day goes by I don't feel regret. Not because my prospect lost, or because you think he sucks. I look back on the way he was then: a young, talented kid who hung a curve to that terrible hitter. I want to talk to him. I want to try and talk some sense to him, tell him the way things are. But I can't. That kid's long gone... and his declining velocity is all that's left. I got to live with that. Pitchability? It's just a bullshit word. So you just go on and submit your scouting report, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don't give a shit."

I hope a dope somewhere has compiled a tome of all the great SoSHer riffs and adaptations because this would go somewhere in that collection. What perfection!

 

[The Gray Eagle]

He was one out away from a dominant complete game shutout in the first Pawsox playoff game, then allowed the tying HR. Still an amazing job, 7 K with 0 walks, and only 99 pitches in 8.2 IP. Check out the highlights, with his 94-95 mph heater and nasty slider getting lots of swings and misses. (That is 95 mph in the 9th inning by the way.) 
 
His numbers with the Pawsox are marred by his last regular season start, where he allowed 8 ER in 2.1 IP. His other 4 regular season starts with Pawtucket were all good ones, and his playoff one was terrific. 
 
I wonder if his one terrible start was a case of him letting his elbow drop a bit-- he struggled early in the season, then made the adjustment to keep his elbow up, and that got him straightened out quickly. Or maybe it was just a bad day at the office. 
 
The cousin of Kelvim Escobar, he is a 22-year-old lefty who seems to be coming on quickly. What a great pickup.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Love seeing him use the slider to get out RHH. Right in that sweet spot where it's unhittable but tantalizing enough to draw the swing. If he pairs that with a good change-up (didn't see it in the highlights but it's in the scouting report) he's in great shape because it looks like it would be tough on LHH.
 
So far it looks like Ben absolutely nailed the Peavy and Miller trades, finding a couple desperate teams who were a little bit down on legit prospects. Whether or not one or both of Escobar/Rodriguez ever end up in Boston, their presence makes it even easier to send out multiple arms in a trade knowing the system won't be gutted.

 

[The Gray Eagle]

Another playoff win for Escobar last night: 7 innings, 2 runs on 6 hits, with 5 Ks, 0 walks.
 
2 postseason starts, he's got 12 Ks and 0 walks in 15.2 IP, 3 runs allowed.
 
That makes 6 excellent starts and 1 horror show outing since he joined the organization.
 
27-7 K-BB ratio and 15 earned runs allowed in 37 IP with the Pawsox, including the 8 ER he was charged with in the 2.1 IP mess on August 23rd. 

 

[The Gray Eagle]

Fangraphs shows that ZIPS projects Escobar to throw 138 innings with a 4.10 ERA, 4.07 FIP. 7.35 K/9, 2.54 BB/9. ERA + of 99. 
 
He's one of my favorite prospects and I think he is really underrated around here, so it's good to see ZIPS agree with me, whatever that is worth. They've got him putting up a better ERA and ERA+ than Buchholz, Masterson, Owens, Kelly, Barnes and Eduardo Rodriguez in the majors this season. Again, for whatever that is worth.
 
He won't get the chance to pitch 138 innings in the majors this year, but that is a pretty sweet projection. I think he's got a good chance to help the big club this year and I hope they keep him in the starting rotation as long as he's in AAA.

 

[mwonow]

Fangraphs shows that ZIPS projects Escobar to throw 138 innings with a 4.10 ERA, 4.07 FIP. 7.35 K/9, 2.54 BB/9. ERA + of 99. 
 
He's one of my favorite prospects and I think he is really underrated around here, so it's good to see ZIPS agree with me, whatever that is worth. They've got him putting up a better ERA and ERA+ than Buchholz, Masterson, Owens, Kelly, Barnes and Eduardo Rodriguez in the majors this season. Again, for whatever that is worth.
 
He won't get the chance to pitch 138 innings in the majors this year, but that is a pretty sweet projection. I think he's got a good chance to help the big club this year and I hope they keep him in the starting rotation as long as he's in AAA.

 
That's interesting, Eagle. Where do you think he slots in the PawSox rotation/pecking order?

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

That's interesting, Eagle. Where do you think he slots in the PawSox rotation/pecking order?

Not to speak for Grey Eagle .. But I would suggest as #5 .. You have Owens, Rodriguez, Johnson and Barnes in some order ahead of him. Not that it has any tangible meaning.

 

[ItOnceWasMyLife]

Not to speak for Grey Eagle .. But I would suggest as #5 .. You have Owens, Rodriguez, Johnson and Barnes in some order ahead of him. Not that it has any tangible meaning.

SoxProspects would seem to agree with you.

 

[Plympton91]

I think Escobar is being underrated based on his stats in the PCL for 2/3 of a season. Given his age and upside, I'd rank him ahead of Johnson (a little older, not as much upside) and Barnes (much older, though decent upside as well).

 

[nvalvo]

I think Escobar is being underrated based on his stats in the PCL for 2/3 of a season. Given his age and upside, I'd rank him ahead of Johnson (a little older, not as much upside) and Barnes (much older, though decent upside as well).

 
It's worth noting that SF considered him their sixth starter going in to 2014. They dealt him for a veteran sixth starter at the dead line once it was clear they were contending and he wasn't having his best season, but still, Sabean et al saw him as MLB-ready SP depth. He could be an interesting reliever, but he could also have value as an SP here or in trade. 

 

[mwonow]

Whatever happened to this guy?

 

[SoFloSoxFan]

Also moving exclusively to a relief role, apparently, is Edwin Escobar, although he has begun the year on the major league disabled list with elbow inflammation.

 
http://news.soxprospects.com/2015/04/system-restart-2015-pt-5-upper-level.html

 

[mwonow]

 
http://news.soxprospects.com/2015/04/system-restart-2015-pt-5-upper-level.html

Thanks, I lost track of him and was wondering what was up

 

[The Gray Eagle]

Escobar missed most of 2015 with the injury. It was reported widely that he would be out of options this year and would either have to make the big league club this spring or be waived, but that's not the case, as the Red Sox optioned him to Pawtucket last week.

This is good news in terms of the chances of Escobar possibly helping the Red Sox at some point. He is coming off an injury and needs to get work in, and should have time in AAA to see if he can get healthy and effective.

 

[mwonow]

Thanks for the update, and good to hear that he's sticking around - he's kind of a legacy binky.