Baseball player Joey EstesEstes pitching for the Lansing Lugnuts in 2022Athletics – No. 68PitcherBorn: (2001-10-08) October 8, 2001 (age 24)Palmdale, California, U.S.Bats: RightThrows: RightMLB debutSeptember 20, 2023, for the Oakland AthleticsMLB statistics (through 2025 season)Win–loss record7–12Earned run erage5.51Strikeouts105Stats at Baseball Reference Teams Oakland Athletics / Athletics (2023–present)
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[edit]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 Bres 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[edit] Atlanta Bres[edit]Estes made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Bres with whom he ge 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 erage 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[edit]On March 14, 2022, the Bres 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]
On July 3, 2024, Estes threw a complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels, striking out four batters and issuing one walk in the 5–0 victory.[18]
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 behior by throwing his bat at Estes.[19][20] At the time, he had hit a total of 28 batters in nearly 100 appearances in the minors.[21] Estes made three appearances (two starts) for the Athletics on the year, struggling to an 0-2 record and 9.82 ERA with six strikeouts over 11 innings of work. On September 18, Estes underwent surgery to address a herniated disc in his lower back, ending his season.[22]
References[edit] ^ "Brand New Dirtbag | Sports | press.com". ^ Fattal, Tarek (May 23, 2019). "Paraclete's Joey Estes named Gold Coast League baseball MVP". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved September 21, 2023. ^ "Estes picked in 16th round by Atlanta Bres | Sports | press.com". ^ "Breaking down Long Beach State's early 2019 signing classes – Press Telegram". December 5, 2018. ^ "Spring Interrupted | Sports | press.com". ^ "MiLB Low-A MVP All-Stars Top Prospect 2021". MLB.com. ^ "2021 Minor League Baseball Stat Leaders, Champions & More". ^ "Estes Named Low-A East Pitcher of the Week". ^ "Atlanta Bres acquire slugging 1B Matt Olson from Oakland Athletics". MLB.com. Associated Press. ^ "A's get Bres' top prospect Pache, 3 others in trade of Olson". MLB.com. March 14, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022. ^ "A's No. 1 prospect Soderstrom headlines Lugnuts' 2022 roster". ^ "Joey Estes Stats, Fantasy & News". ^ "Where the A's Top 30 prospects are starting season". MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024. ^ "Check out the A's newest top prospects". MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024. ^ "Athletics' Joey Estes: Confirmed as Wednesday's starter". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 19, 2023. ^ "Athletics' Joey Estes: Summoned for debut". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 19, 2023. ^ "Athletics' Joey Estes: Sent to Las Vegas". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024. ^ "'This was Joey's game': Estes dominates in 1st career 'Maddux'". mlb.com. Retrieved July 4, 2024. ^ "Mariners' Robles throws bat at pitcher, ejected from Triple-A game". ESPN.com. August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025. ^ "Robles throws bat toward pitcher after near-HBP during rehab game". MLB.com. Retrieved August 18, 2025. ^ Zucker, Joseph. "Mariners' Victor Robles Ejected for Throwing Bat at Pitcher on Video in MiLB Game". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved August 19, 2025. ^ "A's Notes: Estes, Lopez, Harris, Newcomb". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 25, 2025. External links[edit] Career statistics from MLB · ESPN · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac vteAthletics current rosterActive roster 1 Denzel Clarke 2 Darell Hernáiz 4 Lawrence Butler 5 Jacob Wilson 10 Max Muncy 11 Brett Harris 12 Max Schuemann 16 Nick Kurtz 20 Zack Gelof 21 Tyler Soderstrom 23 Shea Langeliers 25 Brent Rooker 26 Carlos Cortes 28 Mitch Spence 29 Austin Wynns 30 Ken Waldichuk 32 Colby Thomas 33 JJ Bleday 36 Hogan Harris 40 Luis Severino 44 Tyler Ferguson 45 Osvaldo Bido 46 Luis Medina 49 Michael Kelly 50 Jack Perkins 54 Eduarniel Núñez 57 Jacob Lopez 58 Luis Morales 59 Jeffrey Springs 60 Justin Sterner 61 Elvis Alvarado 63 Mason Barnett 66 Brady Basso 67 Grant Holman 68 Joey Estes 70 J. T. Ginn 79 Gunnar Hoglund -- Henry Báez Coaching staff Manager 7 Mark Kotsay Bench 51 Darren Bush First base -- Ryan Christenson Third base 8 Bobby Crosby Hitting 18 Mike Aldrete Pitching 14 Scott Emerson Bullpen 71 Dan Hubbs Assistant hitting 41 Chris Cron Bullpen catcher 90 Wilkin Castillo Bullpen catcher 91 Dustin Hughes Coach 88 Ramón Hernández Quality control 72 Marcus Jensen