Esteban Quiroz

Position: 2B
Level: AFL
Affiliate: Mesa Solar Sox
League: Arizona Fall League
Born: 02/17/1992 (Age: 32)
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 175
B/T: Left / Right
Acquired: Signed as international free agent November 21, 2017 (BOS)

Prospect Spotlight

The Red Sox signed the 26-year-old Quiroz out of Mexico for an undisclosed figure in November 2017, following several successful years manning 2B in the Mexican League and for Team Mexico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Soon after Fall League ended, Boston dealt him to the Padres for RHP Colten Brewer. Quiroz was on the DL most of 2018, but he scorched the ball in a small sample, slashing .299/.413/.598 in Double-A Portland in April. I saw him four times for the Mesa Solar Sox in the AFL.

Short and strong, Quiroz’s best asset is his advanced approach at the plate, rarely expanding the zone while letting pitcher’s strikes go by to work himself into counts he can do damage. The deep-count approach leads to walks, and his bat-to-ball skills help him put the ball in play with two strikes. He does his damage on low fastballs with an uphill bat path, sitting dead red when ahead in the count. However, when facing pitchers able to locate up in the zone or throw spin for strikes, Quiroz is exposed and shows more swing-and-miss. Overall, he’s a future 50-grade hit tool guy. Quiroz has 45 raw power, generated via a compact stroke with solid strength in his stocky frame. 40 game power is realistic, as he will see fewer pitches in his sweet spot (down in the zone) against big league pitchers. Defensively, he’s a fringy defender at 2B and can’t play anywhere else in the dirt.

Quiroz brings limited defensive value and will have to exceed my offensive projections in order to carve out a consistent Major League role. Already 26, it’s tough to project much more on his physical abilities. He has a respectable bat for an infielder, but it isn’t elite and he can’t play anywhere but 2B. Quiroz profiles as a solid  4A player who could get a cup of coffee; the best-case ceiling is a offensive-minded bench player.