Position: SS
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 180 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 06/04/2002
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2018 (Yankees)
How Acquired: Trade (with Yankees for Jameson Taillon)
Bonus: $350,000
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2025
Options Left: 3
Overview
The Pirates were interested in signing Escotto out of the Dominican, but lost out to the Yankees. He’s an offense-oriented infielder who’s spent the majority of his time at short so far. He’s also played a lot at second. He has a good arm and some speed. Escotto put up very big numbers in his DSL debut, but since then he’s struggled with swing-and-miss. The Pirates got him in the Jameson Taillon trade.
2019-20
Escotto had a big debut season, hitting 315/429/552. He drew a lot of walks and put up outstanding exit velocities, but he did strike out a lot. The Yankees played him primarily at second, but he started eight games each at short and third. Baseball America rated him 27th in the Yankees’ system, although FanGraphs had him higher, at 19th. He didn’t play in 2020, then went to the Pirates after that season in the Jameson Taillon deal.
2021-24
Escotto spent the 2021 season at Bradenton. He started off hot at the plate, but struggled increasingly as pitchers got him to chase breaking balls off the plate. His OPS by month, starting in May, was: .904 .771 .741 .560 .602. He hit seven home runs in his first 57 games and only one in his last 35. Probably due to his problems with chasing breaking balls, he had a huge platoon split: a .950 OPS against LHPs and .644 against RHPs. He struck out in nearly 40% of his ABs against the latter. He did do well as a base stealer. Escotto played a little at second, but was the principal shortstop for the Marauders. He showed good range, but was erratic.
In 2022, Escotto opened the season as the regular shortstop at Greensboro. Like 2021, he got off to a good start at the plate and then tanked. His OPS was .745 in April, then dropped to .475 in May. In early June, the Pirates sent him to the development list and eventually to the FCL. He moved up to Bradenton in early July. In Greensboro Escotto did show some power, but he had a terrible time making contact. With the Grasshoppers he fanned in 36% of his plate appearances. Once he got to Bradenton, Escotto did better, hitting for solid numbers. At that level he fanned in 22% of plate appearances. Defensively, Escotto mostly played short, but he saw some time at 2B.
Things continued largely the same in 2023, all of which Escotto spent at Greensboro. He hit a little better there, but still only 213/272/347. He split his time between short and second. He returned to Greensboro in 2024 and hit almost exactly the same, at 215/257/355. He mostly played third, but got some time at short and a little at second.
Stats
Transactions
July 2, 2018: Signed by the New York Yankees as an international free agent.
January 24, 2021: Traded by the New York Yankees with Miguel Yajure, Roansy Contreras and Canaan Njigba-Smith to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jameson Taillon.