Minnesota Twins 40-man in 40 days: Eduardo Escobar
Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins is little more than a month away. Puckett’s Pond is here to keep you informed on every player currently on the Twins 40 man roster.
Eduardo Escobar is entering his eighth season in Major League Baseball and fifth full season in with the Minnesota Twins. Escobar had a power surge while helping the Twins reach the postseason in 2017 and Minnesota will need more of the same this season.
Escobar was the Twins resident Swiss Army knife a season ago, appearing at five different positions defensively. However, his biggest impact was felt with the bat last season. He has the look of hitter who has put it all together.
Miguel Sano is not the third baseman of the future for the Minnesota Twins and Escobar could help bridge the gap. He won’t consistently hit for the power expected from the hot corner but his glove will make up for it. Although he committed six errors in 164 chances at third last season, Escobar is a slick fielding middle infielder with a track record of success.
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What Escobar brings to the table
Escobar came up as a shortstop in the Chicago White Sox system and has made an impact in the field since day one. His versatility will prove crucial for Minnesota this season as questions loom over the future of Sano at third. He can also play a little in the outfield and even made an appearance at catcher last season.
He has also shown good plate discipline throughout his career never striking out more than 100 times. However, he doesn’t take many walks so he is the classic case of a player who depends on getting hits to get on base. That’s not ideal at the MLB level but his low strikeout rate helps him remain productive.
Escobar’s .258 batting average in 499 plate appearances is nothing special. However, he broke out with 21 home runs and 78 runs batted in for Minnesota in ’17. He is not a stolen base threat but Escobar is a smart baserunner and rarely runs into outs.
Every successful Major League Baseball team needs a player like Escobar. Versatility is the key to winning and Escobar can do everything the Minnesota Twins ask of him. The ’17 season was a big year for him, and the Twins. However, 2018 will be even bigger.
Next: What if Sano can't stay at third?
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