Marco Estrada

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Washington Nationals #18 prospect in 2010
  Estrada's career has progressed in fits and starts since he transferred from Glendale (Calif.) CC to Long Beach State in 2005. His stock rose that spring when he went 8-3, 2.43 for the Dirtbags, sank when he broke his collarbone before the 2006 season, increased again in Hawaii Winter Baseball that fall, then fell again when he struggled through a rough 2007. He spent most of the last two years in Triple-A, where he held his own before tiring down the stretch both seasons, just in time for a pair of lackluster big league callups. Estrada is undersized but has a quick arm, capable of producing a low-90s fastball that tops out at 94. He has one of the best changeups in the system, an above-average pitch with good arm speed and tumbling action. He also throws a solid-average 78-81 mph curveball with some sharpness to it. The Nationals would like to see Estrada become more aggressive and attack hitters more, because he has a tendency to nibble. He also runs into trouble with his fastball because his size and low arm slot give the pitch a flat plane. Estrada's lack of physicality could make him a better fit in a big league bullpen, but his threepitch mix does give him a chance to be a back-end starter. He'll compete for a big league job in spring training.
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  Ranked Washington Nationals #21 prospect in 2009
  Estrada pitched for two years at Glendale (Calif.) CC before transferring to Long Beach State for his junior year, when he went 8-3, 2.43 and climbed to the sixth round of the draft. A broken collarbone delayed the start of his season in 2006, but he finished strong as the No. 10 prospect in Hawaii Winter Baseball that offseason. After a disappointing 2007, he excelled in the upper minors last year and finished the season in a big league relief role, where his stuff was down due to fatigue. Estrada is a less physical version of Craig Stammen, and his three-pitch repertoire is similar. Despite his smallish build, Estrada holds the 90-92 mph velocity on his fastball into the sixth or seventh inning as a starter, regularly touching 93-94. His best pitch is a plus changeup with good arm speed and tumbling action. He also features two different curveballs: an average 78-81 offering with some sharpness to it, and a slower pitch that he uses as a change of pace. He tried to overthrow in his big league stint and flew open in his delivery, but he ordinarily has good command and fine mechanics. Estrada is a strike-thrower who works quickly and holds runners well, giving him the ingredients to be a successful reliever if he can't stick as a starter. His quality three-pitch mix gives him a chance to be a back-end starter, but his size limits his ceiling.
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  Ranked Washington Nationals #22 prospect in 2007
  Estrada and his mother moved from Mexico to California in 1989. He pitched at Glendale (Calif.) Community College in 2002 and '03 before sitting out a year while taking the two courses he needed to transfer to Long Beach State, where he jumped right into the weekend rotation. The Nationals had high hopes for Estrada in his first full pro season, but he broke his collarbone just before spring training while roller-blading, causing him to miss the first two and a half months. It took him a while to get going in low Class A, but he came on strong in Hawaii Winter Baseball, where he was the No. 10 prospect. Estrada's best pitch is an above-average curveball that he uses to put hitters away, and he has good feel for a changeup. His fastball is underwhelming, sitting at 88-90 mph and occasionally bumping 92 when he needs it. He needs to cut down on his walks. With a slight build, Estrada will never dominate, but he could be a No. 4 starter in the majors. He could move fast in 2007, starting at high Class A.