Top prospect sent to Oakland for Matt Olson set to make his MLB debut

The A’s are going to be calling up one of the big pieces of the Matt Olson trade, as they selected Joey Estes today as they finish the season.

@MartínJGallegos: A’s are calling up No. 13 prospect Joey Estes, per source. 21-year-old right-hander acquired in the Matt Olson deal has impressed at Double-A and Triple-A this season.

The former 16th round pick of the Braves has had a rough season in AAA in the statistical categories. Estes has a 5.23 ERA in AAA Las Vegas in 2023, however, his stuff is nice and his scouting report is encouraging:

Estes attacks hitters with athleticism, arm speed and a competitive mentality. He has three solid pitches, albeit without an elite swing-and-miss offering. His 92-94 mph fastball has nearly equal amounts of carry and run, boring in on righthanded batters but with enough vertical break to play at the top of the strike zone. His mid-80s slider has late bite, but he sometimes struggles to stay on top of it. Estes also throws a mid-80s changeup with good hand speed that tunnels well with the fastball but is still inconsistent. Estes is generally around the strike zone, but can rush his delivery at times and his command wavers as a result. The A’s worked with Estes in instructs to move down the mound a bit more efficiently. There’s some reliever risk because of the delivery, but Estes is still quite young and has thrown enough strikes to continue to move up the ladder in the rotation. He has the ceiling of a back-end starter.

Estes has the potential to be a big part of Oakland’s future, and they need him to contribute. Shea Langeliers has been okay, but Kyle Muller‘s tenure has been a disaster and Cristian Pache is already on a different team.

Of course, the Matt Olson trade has worked out perfectly for the Braves, as he’s already taken the crown as Atlanta’s all-time home run leader in franchise history. The Braves have clearly been the big winners with this trade, but maybe Estes can inspire some hope for the A’s.

 

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