Maikol Escotto

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #19 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Yankees signed Escotto for $350,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, and he was an arrow-up name after posting a .981 OPS in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League. He was one of four players traded to the Pirates in the Jameson Taillon trade in January 2021 and spent all season with Low-A Bradenton.
  
  Scouting Report: Escotto has considerable upside and ran the gamut of experiences in his first year of full-season ball. The 19-year-old posted an .801 OPS and hit all seven of his regular season homers through July—but his OPS afterward was just .593. Escotto has a simple, efficient swing with the chance for above-average power potential, generating exit velocities up to 109 mph with Bradenton. The Pirates were impressed with how his swing played against sliders early in the year. But Escotto’s high strikeout (30.4%) and grouball (53.8%) rates were concerns. He’ll need to continue to add strength to impact the ball more effectively throughout a full season. Escotto’s actions checked out defensively at shortstop, where he displays the requisite range and arm to stick at the position, though he could eventually move across the keystone as an offensive-minded second baseman depending on how his body matures.
  
  The Future: Plenty of refinement at the lower levels is needed for Escotto, but the raw ingredients of a high-upside middle infield prospect remain.
  
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #27 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The Yankees signed Escotto for $350,000 after seeing quick hands in the field and at the plate as well as above-average speed and gap power. In his pro debut, Escotto produced a .981 OPS that ranked eighth in the Dominican Summer League and a team-best eight home runs.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: More than the counting stats, Escotto continued showing off an interesting set of tools. He showed a compact swing that played well against both fastballs and offspeed pitches and produced top-end exit velocities of 106 miles per hour. He also showed solid plate discipline. In the field he has solid hands, strong footwork and arm strength that easily rates as plus. He's a plus runner with first-step quickness that shows up on offense and defense.
  
  THE FUTURE: He continued his season in the instructional league at the team's complex in the D.R. and will likely come stateside for the first time in 2020.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Yankees signed Escotto for $350,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, and he was an arrow-up name after posting a .981 OPS in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League. He was one of four players traded to the Pirates in the Jameson Taillon trade in January 2021 and spent all season with Low-A Bradenton.
  
  Scouting Report: Escotto has considerable upside and ran the gamut of experiences in his first year of full-season ball. The 19-year-old posted an .801 OPS and hit all seven of his regular season homers through July—but his OPS afterward was just .593. Escotto has a simple, efficient swing with the chance for above-average power potential, generating exit velocities up to 109 mph with Bradenton. The Pirates were impressed with how his swing played against sliders early in the year. But Escotto’s high strikeout (30.4%) and grouball (53.8%) rates were concerns. He’ll need to continue to add strength to impact the ball more effectively throughout a full season. Escotto’s actions checked out defensively at shortstop, where he displays the requisite range and arm to stick at the position, though he could eventually move across the keystone as an offensive-minded second baseman depending on how his body matures.
  
  The Future: Plenty of refinement at the lower levels is needed for Escotto, but the raw ingredients of a high-upside middle infield prospect remain.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Escotto is another teenager trending up on a Bradenton roster teeming with them. Acquired via the Yankees in the Jameson Taillon trade, Escotto has the chance for above-average hit and power tools while sticking at shortstop. He controls the strike zone well—especially against sliders this year—and his 121 wRC+ was tops among all Bradenton hitters as of July 19. Escotto hits too many balls on the ground (52% groundball rate) but he shows more raw power in batting practice. Some wonder if his muscular frame may ultimately push him toward becoming an offensive-minded second baseman in the big leagues, but he's handled shortstop adequately so far.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Yankees signed Escotto for $350,000 after seeing quick hands in the field and at the plate as well as above-average speed and gap power. In his pro debut, Escotto produced a .981 OPS that ranked eighth in the Dominican Summer League and a team-best eight home runs.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: More than the counting stats, Escotto continued showing off an interesting set of tools. He showed a compact swing that played well against both fastballs and offspeed pitches and produced top-end exit velocities of 106 miles per hour. He also showed solid plate discipline. In the field he has solid hands, strong footwork and arm strength that easily rates as plus. He's a plus runner with first-step quickness that shows up on offense and defense.
  
  THE FUTURE: He continued his season in the instructional league at the team's complex in the D.R. and will likely come stateside for the first time in 2020.