Luis Escobar (baseball)
Colombian baseball player (born 1996)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luis Alberto Escobar Hernandez (born May 30, 1996) is a Colombian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
| Luis Escobar | |
|---|---|
Luis Escobar with Caimanes de Barranquilla in 2021 | |
| Free agent | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: May 30, 1996 Cartagena, Colombia | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 13, 2019, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| MLB statistics (through 2019 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 0–0 |
| Earned run average | 7.94 |
| Strikeouts | 2 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Professional career
Pittsburgh Pirates
Escobar signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent in July 2013.[1] He made his professional debut in 2014 for the DSL Pirates and spent the whole season there, posting a 2–4 record and a 4.75 ERA in 13 games started. In 2015, he played for both the GCL Pirates and the West Virginia Black Bears, pitching to a combined 2–1 record, 3.83 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP in 13 starts, and in 2016, he returned to the Black Bears, posting a 6–5 record and 2.93 ERA in 15 games (12 starts).
Escobar represented the Pirates in the 2017 All-Star Futures Game.[2] He spent the 2017 season with the West Virginia Power where he posted a 10–7 record and a 3.83 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 131.2 innings pitched (26 games, 25 starts).[3] On November 20, 2017, the Pirates added Escobar to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[4] He split the 2018 season between the Bradenton Marauders and the Altoona Curve, going a combined 11–6 with a 4.14 in 127 innings. He opened the 2019 season with Bradenton, before being promoted to the Indianapolis Indians on May 9.[5]
On July 6, 2019, the Pirates promoted Escobar to the major leagues.[6] He made his major league debut on July 13, striking out one batter over two scoreless innings in relief.[7] Escobar was designated for assignment on November 20, 2019, and outrighted to Triple–A on November 27.[8]
Escobar did not play in a game for the Pirates organization in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] He was released by Pittsburgh on June 9, 2020.
Olmecas de Tabasco
On April 22, 2021, Escobar signed with the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League.[10] In 12 starts for Tabasco, he posted a 7–2 record and a league–leading 2.54 ERA with 43 strikeouts across 67+1⁄3 innings pitched.
Fubon Guardians
On January 6, 2022, Escobar signed with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.[11] On May 23, Escobar requested and was granted his release for personal reasons. He never appeared in a game for the Guardians and only pitched for their farm team prior to his release.[12]
Olmecas de Tabasco (second stint)
On July 5, 2022, Escobar signed with the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League.[13] He made 6 starts for Tabasco down the stretch, struggling to a 2–2 record and 7.25 ERA with 12 strikeouts. In 2023, Escobar made 15 appearances (14 starts) for the team, registering a 6–6 record and 4.42 ERA with 48 strikeouts across 73+1⁄3 innings pitched.
Acereros de Monclova
On February 3, 2024, Escobar was traded to the Acereros de Monclova in exchange for Wirfin Obispo.[14] He made 18 appearances (12 starts) for Monclova, posting a 4–3 record and 4.38 ERA with 35 strikeouts across 63+2⁄3 innings pitched. Escobar was released by Monclova on December 23.[15]
International career
Escobar was on Colombia's roster for the 2017 World Baseball Classic but did not play.[16] He was named to the Colombian roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic qualifiers, held in March 2025 in Tucson, Arizona.[17]