| Santiago Espinal | |
|---|---|
 Espinal with theCincinnati Reds in 2025 | |
| Free agent | |
| Infielder | |
| Born: (1994-11-13)November 13, 1994 (age 31) Santiago, Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 25, 2020, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .261 |
| Home runs | 20 |
| Runs batted in | 160 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Santiago Roman Espinal (born November 13, 1994) is a Dominican professionalbaseballutility player who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theToronto Blue Jays andCincinnati Reds. He was drafted by theBoston Red Sox in the 10th round of the2016 MLB draft.
Espinal was born and grew up in theDominican Republic until age 13, when he moved to the US.[1] He attendedLyman High School inLongwood, Florida for four years.[2] He then moved to New York and graduated throughPenn Foster High School.[2] Espinal attendedSeminole State College of Florida, and then attendedMiami Dade College on a scholarship and playedcollege baseball for them in 2016.[2][1]
Espinal was drafted by theBoston Red Sox in the 10th round, 298th overall, of the2016 MLB draft.[3]
Espinal played for theRookie-levelGulf Coast League Red Sox in 2016, hitting .244/.330/.267 with 10runs batted in (RBI). He played for theSingle-AGreenville Drive in 2017, hitting .280/.334/.358 with fourhome runs and 46 RBI.[1] Espinal began the 2018 season with theHigh-ASalem Red Sox.
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On June 28, 2018, Espinal was traded to theToronto Blue Jays in exchange forSteve Pearce and cash considerations.[4][5] Espinal split the remainder 2018 between theHigh-ADunedin Blue Jays and theDouble-ANew Hampshire Fisher Cats, hitting .297/.356/.444 with 10 home runs and 60 RBI between the two teams and Salem.[1][6][7] He played for theSurprise Saguaros of theArizona Fall League (AFL) following the 2018 season.[8]
Espinal split the 2019 season between New Hampshire and theTriple-ABuffalo Bisons, hitting a combined .287/.347/.393 with seven home runs and 71 RBI.[9][10][11] Espinal was added to the Blue Jays 40-man roster after the 2019 season.[12] On July 23, 2020, he was added to the Blue Jays active roster to begin the 2020 season, which had been delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[13] On July 25, 2020, Espinal made his MLB debut. Three days later, on July 28, Espinal got his first hit in the Major Leagues against theWashington Nationals. He made 26 appearances for theBlue Jays during his rookie campaign, hitting .267 with no home runs and six RBI in 26 games.
On July 3, 2021, Espinal hit his first career major league home run, a two-run shot offTampa Bay Rays relieverMatt Wisler atSahlen Field in Buffalo.[14] Overall in 2021, Espinal batted .311/.376/.405 with two home runs, 17 RBI, and six stolen bases in 92 games. He led all qualifying AL third basemen with 16 total zone runs and a 3.13range factor.[15]
Espinal began the 2022 season expected to platoon at second base withCavan Biggio but by mid-May was receiving acclaim for his impressive offensive numbers and game-changing defence while Biggio was optioned to the Triple-ABuffalo Bisons after going 1-for-23 in 13 games with Toronto.[16][17] Blue Jays' General ManagerRoss Atkins declared Espinal "an everyday player" after he was one of only five Blue Jays' players to appear in all of Toronto's first 17 games.[18] Espinal was selected for the2022 All-Star Game as a replacement forJose Altuve.[19]
On January 13, 2023, Espinal signed a one-year, $2.1 million contract with the Blue Jays, avoiding salary arbitration.[20] In 93 games for the Blue Jays, he batted .248/.310/.335 with two home runs and 25 RBI.[21]
On March 20, 2024, the Blue Jays traded Espinal to theCincinnati Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Chris McElvain.[22] He made 118 appearances for the Reds during the regular season, slashing .246/.295/.356 with nine home runs, 45 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.[23]
Espinal played in 114 games for Cincinnati during the 2025 campaign, batting .243/.292/.282 with no home runs, 16 RBI, and two stolen bases.[24] On October 31, 2025, Espinal was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Triple-ALouisville Bats; he rejected the assignment and elected free agency the following day.[25]