Palm Desert High School graduate Jeremiah Estrada will be playing closer to home as he’s been claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres, being removed from The Chicago Cubs 40-man roster last week. The Padres were quick to snatch Estrada on Monday morning to add pitching depth by including the hard-throwing 25-year-old right-hander in their bullpen.
Estrada was drafted in the 2017 MLB Draft by the Cubs fresh out of high school and made his official debut on Aug. 30, 2022, against the Toronto Blue Jays. Throughout his career in the Minors, he recorded 180 strikeouts in 117 innings through 78 games and 21 strikeouts in 16.1 innings through 17 games in the Major Leagues.
Estrada has quite a resume but certainly has overcome adversities throughout his career. These issues kept him away from the game, such as injuries that required him to have Tommy John Surgery and game cancellations due to COVID-19.
He continues to hold a very high upside, which can allow him to play with a chip on his shoulder since being released from the 40-man roster after a slightly struggling performance in his 2023 season. He looks to bounce back with a fresh start in San Diego with superstars such as Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Juan Soto to help the Padres head back to the playoffs for the 2024 MLB season.
