Joey Estes

Joey Estes Bio

Joseph Lee Estes (born October 8, 2001) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). The right-handed hurler made his MLB debut with Oakland in 2023 after being selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 16th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Estes was traded to the Athletics in March 2022 as part of a major package for first baseman Matt Olson and has since developed into a consistent member of Oakland’s starting rotation. He stands as one of the organization’s promising young arms as the Athletics continue their rebuilding phase in the American League West.

Early Life and Background

Joey Estes grew up and attended Paraclete High School in Lancaster, California. During his freshman year in 2016, Estes demonstrated immediate promise on the mound by compiling an impressive 1.05 earned run average. As a sophomore, he emerged as a dominant force in the Golden State Baseball League, posting a remarkable 9-1 record with a microscopic 0.31 ERA over ninety innings pitched. His performance throughout his high school career established him as one of the top prospects in the state of California.

As a senior in 2019, Estes delivered his best season yet, finishing with an 8-0 record, a 0.91 ERA, and an impressive 124 strikeouts. His dominant senior campaign caught the attention of Major League Baseball scouts and executives. Despite receiving interest from multiple colleges, Estes made the decision to pursue professional baseball immediately after high school, ultimately signing with the Atlanta Braves after being selected in the 16th round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

Path to Professional Baseball

Upon signing with the Atlanta Braves, Estes reported to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Braves to begin his professional career. He appeared in ten innings with the team, allowing nine earned runs during his debut professional season. The young pitcher did not see game action in 2020 as the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing him to wait patiently for his next opportunity to showcase his talents on the mound.

Estes returned to action in 2021 with the Augusta GreenJackets of the Low-A East League. He dominated the competition that season, starting twenty games and posting a 3-6 record with a stellar 2.91 ERA and 127 strikeouts over 99 innings pitched. His performance was particularly impressive considering his young age and limited professional experience. His .181 batting average against ranked ninth among all minor league pitchers, highlighting his ability to keep opposing hitters off balance. Estes earned Low-A East Pitcher of the Week honors twice during the season and was ultimately named the Low-A East Pitcher of the Year following the conclusion of the campaign.

Joey Estes Career

Atlanta Braves System (2019-2022)

Following his standout season with Augusta in 2021, Estes continued his development within the Braves organization in 2022. He was assigned to the Lansing Lugnuts of the High-A Midwest League, where he made twenty starts and went 3-7 with a 4.55 ERA and 92 strikeouts across 91 innings. While his win-loss record did not reflect his overall effectiveness, his strikeout numbers and ERA indicated continued growth as a professional pitcher. The experience gained facing more experienced hitters proved valuable for his long-term development.

Oakland Athletics Breakthrough (2023-Present)

On March 14, 2022, the Atlanta Braves traded Estes along with Shea Langeliers, Ryan Cusick, and Cristian Pache to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for All-Star first baseman Matt Olson. The trade represented a significant return for Oakland as they acquired multiple top prospects while sending away a key piece of their core. Estes was immediately assigned to the Lugnuts’ affiliate and continued his climb through the minor leagues.

To open the 2023 season, Estes was promoted to the Midland RockHounds of the Double-A Texas League. His strong performances earned him a quick promotion to the Las Vegas Aviators of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in early August. Between the two affiliates, he appeared in 27 games (23 starts) and posted a combined 9-6 record with a 3.74 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 137 innings of work. His impressive minor league season culminated with his selection to the Athletics 40-man roster and his first MLB promotion on September 20, 2023.

Estes made two starts for Oakland during his September debut, surrendering nine runs (eight earned) along with 12 hits while recording seven strikeouts over ten innings pitched. While the results were not ideal, the experience of facing Major League hitters provided invaluable lessons as he prepared for a full-time role in 2024.

The 2024 season marked Estes’s breakthrough as a consistent MLB starter. He spent the majority of the year in the Athletics starting rotation and delivered several memorable performances. On July 3, 2024, he threw a complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels, limiting the Halos to no runs on hits while striking out four batters and issuing just one walk in a 5-0 victory. The complete game marked a significant milestone in his young career and demonstrated his ability to pitch deep into games with effectiveness. Across 25 games (24 starts) with Oakland, Estes went 7-9 with a 5.01 ERA and 92 strikeouts. He also made six minor league starts with Las Vegas, going 2-3 with a 6.04 ERA.

Estes entered the 2025 season as the final starter in the Athletics opening rotation. He struggled early, giving up six runs in each of his first two starts and was subsequently optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. While with Las Vegas, he was involved in an incident on August 17, 2025, when he threw a fastball at Victor Robles of the Tacoma Rainiers. The pitch came after Robles had been hit by four Aviators pitchers during the week, including Estes on August 12. Robles had also been hit by Estes during a game with Oakland on September 5, 2024. The repeated hitting-by-pitch incidents prompted Robles to throw his bat at Estes in response. At the time of the August incident, Estes had hit a total of 28 batters in nearly 100 minor league appearances.

Estes was recalled by the Athletics on August 22 and made one appearance. Overall with Oakland in 2025, he 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 posted a 5.51 ERA over 80 innings. Unfortunately, his season ended prematurely when he underwent surgery on September 18 to address a herniated disc in his lower back. The injury cut short his campaign and required a significant recovery process heading into the offseason.

Driving Style and Strengths

Joey Estes features a competitive approach on the mound with a four-seam fastball that he commands effectively to both sides of the plate. Throughout his minor league career, he demonstrated the ability to generate swings and misses with his secondary offerings while maintaining solid control. His strikeout numbers at the minor league level (127 with Augusta in 2021 and 131 combined in 2023) indicate his potential to miss bats at the major league level when command is consistent. His ability to work deep into games, as evidenced by his complete-game shutout in 2024, shows his durability and pitch efficiency when he finds his rhythm.

Notable Events and Milestones

Estes achieved several significant milestones early in his professional career. Being named Low-A East Pitcher of the Year in 2021 highlighted his dominance at the entry level of professional baseball. His complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels on July 3, 2024, stands as the best individual performance of his MLB career to date. The trade that brought him to Oakland in March 2022 also represents a notable chapter in his career, as he became a key piece in one of the larger transactions in recent MLB history involving multiple top prospects changing hands for an established All-Star.

Joey Estes Career Wins

Through the end of the 2025 season, Joey Estes has compiled a 7-12 win-loss record in Major League Baseball action across parts of three seasons with the Oakland Athletics. He has recorded 105 career strikeouts at the major league level with an earned run average of 5.51. His professional career includes numerous wins at the minor league level, with his most productive minor league season coming in 2023 when he combined for nine wins between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas.

Minor League Highlights

Estes enjoyed his most successful minor league season in 2023 when he posted a combined 9-6 record with a 3.74 ERA and 131 strikeouts across 27 appearances (23 starts) between Midland and Las Vegas. His 2021 campaign with Augusta also stands out, as he went 3-6 but posted a 2.91 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 99 innings, earning him Low-A East Pitcher of the Year honors. His strikeout-to-inning ratio throughout the minors demonstrated his ability to miss bats at every level of professional baseball.

Major League Career

At the MLB level, Estes has accumulated seven wins through the 2025 season. His most productive MLB season came in 2024 when he went 7-9 with a 5.01 ERA and 92 strikeouts across 25 appearances (24 starts). The highlight of his MLB career came on July 3, 2024, when he pitched a complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels in a 5-0 victory. He recorded four strikeouts and issued just one walk in that dominant performance.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season proved challenging for Joey Estes as he navigated both performance struggles and injury concerns. After earning a spot in the Athletics starting rotation at the beginning of the season, Estes struggled out of the gate by allowing six runs in each of his first two starts. The difficult stretch led the organization to option him back to Triple-A Las Vegas to work on his mechanics and find consistency.

While with Las Vegas, Estes was involved in a notable incident on August 17 when he hit Victor Robles with a pitch. The sequence came after Robles had been hit by four different Aviators pitchers during the week, including a previous encounter with Estes on August 12. Estes had also hit Robles during a game with Oakland on September 5, 2024. The repeated hit-by-pitch situations escalated when Robles threw his bat at Estes in response. At that point in the season, Estes had hit 28 batters in nearly 100 minor league appearances, a figure that drew scrutiny regarding his pitch location discipline.

Estes was recalled by the Athletics on August 22 but made only one appearance before his season ended prematurely. He underwent surgery on September 18 to address a herniated disc in his lower back, a significant injury that required an extended recovery timeline. For the season, he made three MLB appearances (two starts) and went 0-2 with a 9.82 ERA over 11 innings. With Las Vegas, he made 15 starts and posted a 5.51 ERA over 80 innings. The injury and subsequent surgery ended his season early and will require a focused rehabilitation program heading into the 2026 campaign.