The Indians have selected Espino with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2019 first-year player draft.
For those who only care about upside, Espino has it in spades. The grades on his pitches are pretty outlandish for a 6-foot prep righty. He has the best fastball in the entire class -- an upper-90s monster that can touch triple digits with excellent life. Espino's sharp-breaking curveball and slider also garner plus grades, while his changeup lags behind as his fourth-best offering. However, when we get past his electric arsenal, everything else on the scouting report is a red flag. Evaluators don't like how far he brings the ball back in his delivery, and that arm action, coupled with his elite velocity at such a young age, equates to significant injury risk. At times, his control can be solid, but he still bounces fastballs and hits the backstop more often than anyone would like. While he lacks prototypical size, he has a very strong lower half and weighs almost 200 pounds. The range of outcomes, from frontline starter to shutdown reliever to a career that is derailed by arm injuries, is incredibly wide. Espino was born in Panama but moved to the U.S. in 2016, pitching for Georgia Premier Academy. He is committed to LSU.