Joey Estes

Joey Estes
Estes pitching for the Lansing Lugnuts in 2022
Athletics – No. 68
Pitcher
Born: (2001-10-08) October 8, 2001
Palmdale, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 20, 2023, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through 2025 season)
Win–loss record7–12
Earned run average5.51
Strikeouts105
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams

Joseph Lee Estes (born October 8, 2001) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Amateur career

Estes attended Paraclete High School in Lancaster, California. As a freshman in 2016, he compiled a 1.05 ERA, and as a sophomore, he went 9–1 with a 0.31 ERA over ninety innings.[1] In 2019, as a senior, he went 8–0 with a 0.91 ERA and 124 strikeouts.[2] He was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 16th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[3] He signed, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at Long Beach State University.[4]

Professional career

Atlanta Braves

Estes made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Braves with whom he gave up nine earned runs over ten innings. He did not play a game in 2020 after the minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] Estes spent the 2021 season with the Augusta GreenJackets of the Low-A East, starting twenty games and pitching to a 3–6 record, a 2.91 ERA, and 127 strikeouts over 99 innings.[6] His .181 batting average against was ninth in the minor leagues.[7] He was named the league's Pitcher of the Week twice during the season, and was named the league's Pitcher of the Year following the season's end.[8]

Oakland Athletics

On March 14, 2022, the Braves traded Estes, Shea Langeliers, Ryan Cusick, and Cristian Pache to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Matt Olson.[9][10] He was assigned to the Lansing Lugnuts of the High-A Midwest League for the 2022 season.[11] Over twenty starts, he went 3-7 with a 4.55 ERA and 92 strikeouts over 91 innings.[12] To open the 2023 season, he was assigned to the Midland RockHounds of the Double-A Texas League.[13] In early August, he was promoted to the Las Vegas Aviators of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.[14] In 27 games (23 starts) between the two affiliates, Estes posted a cumulative 9–6 record and 3.74 ERA with 131 strikeouts in 137 innings of work.[15]

On September 20, 2023, Estes was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[16] In two starts for Oakland, he surrendered nine runs (eight earned), 12 hits with seven strikeouts over 10 innings pitched. Estes was optioned to Triple–A Las Vegas to begin the 2024 season.[17]

Estes spent a majority of the 2024 season in the Athletics starting rotation. On July 3, 2024, he threw a complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels, striking out four batters and issuing one walk in the 5–0 victory.[18] Across 25 games (24 starts) with the Athletics, Estes went 7-9 with a 5.01 ERA and 92 strikeouts. He made six starts in the minor leagues with Las Vegas, going 2-3 with a 6.04 ERA.[19]

Estes was named the final starter in the Athletics starting rotation to begin the 2025 season.[20] Estes gave up six runs in each of his first two starts and was subsequently optioned to Las Vegas.[21] On August 17, 2025, while playing for Triple-A Las Vegas, Estes threw a fastball at the shoulder of Victor Robles of the Tacoma Rainiers. Robles, on a rehab assignment, had been hit by four Aviators pitchers that week, including Estes on August 12. Estes also hit Robles while playing for Oakland on September 5, 2024. Robles reacted to this repeated behavior by throwing his bat at Estes.[22][23] At the time, he had hit a total of 28 batters in nearly 100 appearances in the minors.[24] Estes was recalled by the Athletics on August 22 and made one appearance.[25] With the Athletics, Estes made three appearances (two starts) and went 0-2 with a 9.82 ERA over 11 innings. He made 15 starts for Triple-A Las Vegas and pitched to a 5.51 ERA over 80 innings. On September 18, Estes underwent surgery to address a herniated disc in his lower back, ending his season.[26]

Estes was optioned to Las Vegas to open the 2026 season.[27]

References

  1. ^ "Brand New Dirtbag | Sports | avpress.com".
  2. ^ Fattal, Tarek (May 23, 2019). "Paraclete's Joey Estes named Gold Coast League baseball MVP". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  3. ^ "Estes picked in 16th round by Atlanta Braves | Sports | avpress.com".
  4. ^ "Breaking down Long Beach State's early 2019 signing classes – Press Telegram". December 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "Spring Interrupted | Sports | avpress.com".
  6. ^ "MiLB Low-A MVP All-Stars Top Prospect 2021". MLB.com.
  7. ^ Glaser, Kyle (October 4, 2021). "2021 Minor League Season In Review: Champions, Stat Leaders And More". Baseball America. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  8. ^ "Estes Named Low-A East Pitcher of the Week".
  9. ^ "Atlanta Braves acquire slugging 1B Matt Olson from Oakland Athletics". MLB.com. Associated Press.
  10. ^ "A's get Braves' top prospect Pache, 3 others in trade of Olson". MLB.com. March 14, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  11. ^ "A's No. 1 prospect Soderstrom headlines Lugnuts' 2022 roster".
  12. ^ "Joey Estes Stats, Fantasy & News".
  13. ^ "Where the A's Top 30 prospects are starting season". MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  14. ^ "Check out the A's newest top prospects". MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  15. ^ "Athletics' Joey Estes: Confirmed as Wednesday's starter". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  16. ^ "Athletics' Joey Estes: Summoned for debut". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  17. ^ "Athletics' Joey Estes: Sent to Las Vegas". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  18. ^ "'This was Joey's game': Estes dominates in 1st career 'Maddux'". mlb.com. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  19. ^ "Joey Estes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  20. ^ Gallegos, Martin. "Estes nabs final spot in A's rotation; Spence takes extra velo to 'pen". MLB.com. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  21. ^ Ruiz, Joaquin (April 7, 2025). "Athletics option Estes to Triple-A after rough start to 2025". NBC Sports Bay Area & California. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  22. ^ "Mariners' Robles throws bat at pitcher, ejected from Triple-A game". ESPN.com. August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  23. ^ DeRosa, Theo (August 18, 2025). "Victor Robles throws bat toward pitcher after near hit-by-pitch in rehab game". MLB.com. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  24. ^ Zucker, Joseph. "Mariners' Victor Robles Ejected for Throwing Bat at Pitcher on Video in MiLB Game". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  25. ^ "Athletics' Joey Estes: Back in majors". CBS Sports. August 22, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  26. ^ Franco, Anthony (September 18, 2025). "A's Notes: Estes, Lopez, Bullpen". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  27. ^ "Athletics' Joey Estes: Cut from big-league camp". CBS Sports. March 11, 2026. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
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