Pittsburgh Pirates: The All-Under-20 Prospect Team

North Oconee's Bubba Chandler throws a pitch during Game 1 of a GHSA Class 4A semifinal doubleheader in Bogart on Saturday, May 15, 2021. Benedictine won Game 1, 6-5.News Joshua L Jones
North Oconee's Bubba Chandler throws a pitch during Game 1 of a GHSA Class 4A semifinal doubleheader in Bogart on Saturday, May 15, 2021. Benedictine won Game 1, 6-5.News Joshua L Jones /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 11
Next
Pittsburgh Pirates
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 29: A general view of the first base before the spring training game between the Minnesota Twins and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Century Link Sports Complex on February 29, 2020 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Shortstop: Maikol Escotto

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired infielder Maikol Escotto in the Jameson Taillon trade. A high-ceiling infielder with some power potential, Escotto was coming off a strong 2019 season. His first 218 professional plate appearances saw him bat .325/.439/.552 with 8 long balls, a .465 wOBA, and 167 wRC+. Escotto showed off some good power with a .238 ISO but also drew walks at a high 14.7% rate. He did go down on strikes a bit more than you’d like at a 26.1% rate, but nothing out of the ordinary for your average 17-year-old.

Escotto hasn’t been able to replicate those kinds of numbers with the Pittsburgh Pirates yet, but he’s had a solid first season in their system. In 343 plate appearances at Low-A, the right-handed batter has put up a .238/.364/.355 line, .352 wOBA, and 105 wRC+. Escotto is still drawing walks at a strong rate, 15.2% to be exact. But his strikeouts have risen even further to 30.7%. The big issue has been his ground ball rate rising from 45.8% to 52.5% this season.

Escotto has mainly played shortstop this year with the Bucs but also has time spent at second base, and third base when he was with the Yankees. Escotto projects as an average defender up the middle with a strong, 60-grade arm.

His offensive profile projects as an above-average power hitter. His hit tool only projects as a 45-grade weapon, but his game power (55-future grade) and raw power (60-future grade) both are well above average.

Escotto will turn 20 on June 4th, 2022. He’s still very young, but a very good talent. If he can reach his potential, he’s a .270/.370/.500 batter who can provide 25+ home runs a season and roughly average defense at shortstop, and above-average defense at third base or second base.