The Pirates signed outfielder Elvis Escobar last year for $570,000 out of Venezuela. Escobar was the second biggest signing, behind Harold Ramirez. He’s related to five players who have played in the majors, including Kelvim and Alcides Escobar.
When signed, Escobar was described as having above average baseball instincts and a good feel for hitting. He also has a solid arm and is an average runner, with the potential to turn both in to plus tools in the future.
I just watched Escobar taking batting practice here at Pirate City. He put on an impressive display, smacking line drives all over the field, and making solid contact every time. Below is the video of his last run thorough batting practice.
I’ve also confirmed that Escobar and Ramirez will both start in the Gulf Coast League this year, rather than going to one of the Dominican teams.
