The Cleveland Guardians have had several significant MLB debuts already this season. Outfielder Chase DeLauter played his first regular-season game on Opening Day, while second baseman Travis Bazzana received his long-awaited promotion in late April, replacing fellow rookie infielder Juan Brito, who arrived earlier in the month.
Now, one of the most anticipated debuts for the organization is on the horizon, with oft-injured pitcher Daniel Espino having been promoted from Triple-A Columbus in advance of the series opener against the Detroit Tigers on Friday. A starter who was once the No. 1 overall prospect in the Cleveland organization, Espino will be used out of the bullpen to begin his major league career.
It is quite an ascension for the 25-year-old right-hander, who before this season had pitched in just five minor league games since the 2021 campaign. Now, after just 22 games with Columbus, he could make his first major league appearance any day now.
Based on the very light workload, analyst Cade Cracas is raising concerns about Espino’s call-up and wondering how he will be used by manager Stephen Vogt.
“During the interview, I mentioned that Daniel Espino could be just a few weeks away from a call-up, but that he needed to pitch more consistently. However, now that he’s gotten the nod, I’m curious to see how the Guardians manage his workload and what his role will look like in the majors. He has only pitched in 31 total minor league/fall league games dating back to 2022,” Cracas posted.
Back on Wednesday I joined @anthonyalandt on @923TheFan to talk about the state of the #Guardians.
During the interview, I mentioned that Daniel Espino could be just a few weeks away from a call-up, but that he needed to pitch more consistently.
However, now that he’s gotten…
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) June 12, 2026
A first-round pick by Cleveland in the 2019 MLB Draft, Espino was ranked as Cleveland’s top prospect by MLB.com in 2023, ahead of No. 2 Gavin Williams and No. 5 Tanner Bibee. However, Espino’s development was significantly delayed by two shoulder surgeries, and he fell to No. 24 last season and was No. 15 at the time of his promotion. Prior to this year, all 34 of his professional appearances had been as a starting pitcher.
His time at Columbus has shown he is fully healthy, with his signature fastball back to threatening 100 mph. In 18.2 innings, he has 29 strikeouts against 15 walks, with 17 hits allowed. His ERA is 5.30, but that is inflated by two short outings when he allowed six of his 11 earned runs.
Espino will replace reliever Codi Heuer on the roster, and all eyes will be on the Progressive Field bullpen to see when he starts to get loose in preparation for his long-awaited first MLB appearance.
NEXT: Guardians Make Unfortunate Move In Latest Power Rankings
