Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

Vazquez was in high demand during the 2020-21 international signing period because of his tremendous upside, and he signed with the Royals for $1.5 million. He came to the United States a year later, which was ambitious for his age-18 season, and he was overmatched at Single-A Columbia in ‘22. He returned in ‘23 and made modest gains, with a .618 OPS, 15 doubles, 32 stolen bases, a 13.2 percent walk rate and 22.7 percent strikeout rate in 113 games.

Vazquez is a glove-first prospect right now, although some evaluators still believe the power is coming because of the capability to add strength to his athletic frame. He shows good actions on the left side of the infield, makes agile movements and exhibits a plus arm with accurate throws. More repetitions will lead to fewer mental mistakes and make him a reliable defender over a flashy one. Vazquez had a line-drive profile when he first signed, and he’s slowly starting to get there with his smooth and repeatable right-handed swing. He needs to show improvement in his swing decisions to make the most of his physical gains.

Still young with upside, Vazquez has had a slow start to his pro career, and the Royals knew they were being aggressive when they pushed him to Columbia. His defense will play, so it’ll be his hit tool that will determine his role in the big leagues.

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 40

Vazquez received comps to Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado during the 2020-21 international signing period and was coveted by teams because of his enormous upside. The Royals were able to sign him for $1.5 million and brought him over to the States a year later, where he went straight to Single-A Columbia in 2022. The Royals acknowledged that was ambitious for his age-18 season, and it wasn’t without struggles: Vazquez slashed just .195/.262/.229 with a 26.3 percent strikeout rate, 10 doubles and no homers in 77 games. He’s been sent back to the Carolina League for 2023 and has shown modest gains with the bat but still hasn’t been league-average. 

Vazquez looks the part with his athletic frame that has only added strength since he became a Royal. His defense wows with agile movement, exceptional reads, quick hands and good footwork. He profiles as a starting shortstop, but it remains to be seen what the Royals have with Vazquez offensively. He has a smooth, repeatable swing that should produce line drives as he matures. He’s shown nice rhythm and timing to his at-bats, but little has come into focus with the results. Vazquez looked overpowered and overmatched in Columbia last year as an 18-year-old facing a lot of older pitchers. 

The Royals were impressed with how Vazquez held himself despite the struggles last season. His tools give scouts something to dream on. Vazquez is still all upside in his projection and will need to show some offensive breakthroughs to be able to understand what kind of player he could be.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 40

During the 2020-21 international signing period, Vazquez received comps to what Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado looked and played like when they were teenagers. The Royals signed Vazquez, who was ranked No. 12 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 international prospects list, in the early days of the signing period for $1.5 million. After spending his first season in the Dominican Summer League, Vazquez skipped right over the Arizona Complex League and moved to Single-A Columbia for his age-18 season. Results with the Fireflies have been hard to come by, but the Royals maintain the teenager is just getting going with plenty of room to grow.

Vazquez has already put on strength since he was signed, and that led to improved impact at the Dominican Academy last summer; despite the lack of results, reports mentioned how much louder the ball sounded off his bat. His smooth, repeatable swing makes a healthy amount of contact, and he should add more extra-base hits as he matures. He has average speed with above-average baserunning skills, and he’s an excellent defender with exceptional reads, a quick release and good footwork. He should remain at shortstop, and the Royals have yet to play him anywhere else in his first two seasons.

Scouts see the long, lean and athletic prospect hitting at the top or even near the middle of the order as he develops, and he has a solid ceiling as a well-rounded player. Even with Vazquez’s 2022 struggles, Kansas City officials continue to point out that he moved to the Carolina League at the same age as an American high-school senior. A full-season breakout could be on tap for 2023.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45

Ranked No. 12 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 International Prospects list in 2020-21, Vazquez is built like a young Fernando Tatis Jr. and compares favorably to a teenage Manny Machado. The Royals were able to sign the Dominican amateur in the early days of the international signing period, which was pushed back to January due to the pandemic.

Long, lean and with an athletic frame, the 16-year-old Vazquez has a lot of room to grow. A smooth and repeatable swing makes consistent contact, and he projects to have average power. Some believe he will be able to hit around 15-20 home runs while hitting at or near the top of the batting over, and he has solid speed with projected above-average baserunning skills. Vazquez should remain at shortstop to start his pro career, with quick hands and great instincts. He gets exceptional reads on ground balls, features a quick release, has the ability to throw from all angles and shows good footwork at the position.

Vazquez has reported to the Royals’ Dominican academy, and game action will determine more of a plan for his development. The projection is there but there’s still a long way to go for the young player. His hit tool and defensive ability give him a carrying asset. 

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Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55

The athletic Vazquez is long and lean with lots of room to grow. He’s built like a young Fernando Tatis Jr. and there’s a chance he could be a similar player if he develops at a normal pace. Because of his projectable body, Vazquez has also been compared to a young Manny Machado.

Overall, Vazquez projects to be an everyday shortstop with a plus hit tool and average power in the big leagues one day. Specifically, there’s a belief he will hit 15 to 20 home runs and sport a .285 batting average while hitting at or near the top of the batting order. For now, he makes lot of contact with his smooth and repeatable swing. He shows good bat speed and drives the balls to the gaps.

On defense, he consistently shows good hands and projects to be a plus defender with good range and a plus arm. He’s a natural defender with good instincts, a quick release and the ability to throw from all angles. He also shows average speed and projects to be an above average baserunner with basestealing potential if he continues to improve. 

He trains with Jaime Ramos, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program, at the Academia Ramos in Santo Domingo. The Royals are the favorite to sign him.  

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/25/2024	SS Daniel Vazquez assigned to Surprise Saguaros.
	08/12/2024	Columbia Fireflies activated SS Daniel Vazquez from the 7-day injured list.
	06/24/2024	Columbia Fireflies placed SS Daniel Vazquez on the 7-day injured list.
	06/24/2024	Columbia Fireflies placed SS Daniel Vazquez on the 7-day injured list.
	03/20/2024	SS Daniel Vazquez assigned to Kansas City Royals.
	03/07/2024	Kansas City Royals Prospects activated SS Daniel Vazquez.
	03/26/2023	SS Daniel Vazquez and assigned to Kansas City Royals.
	05/17/2022	SS Daniel Vazquez assigned to Columbia Fireflies from DSL Royals Glass.
	07/09/2021	SS Daniel Vazquez assigned to DSL Royals Blue from DSL Royals White.
	02/13/2021	SS Daniel Vazquez assigned to DSL Royals2.
	01/18/2021	Kansas City Royals signed free agent SS Daniel Vazquez to a minor league contract.