Evan Estes’ Season in Review: 2018 Miami Marlins

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 87 of 286. Stay tuned.

Evan Estes is a 6’2″, 185 lb. right-handed reliever from Sonora, California. Born on November 29th, 1996, he was chosen by the Miami Marlins in the 25th round of the 2017 MLB Entry Draft out of Merced Community College with the 749th overall selection.

In 15 games for the Merced College Blue Devils, Estes struck out 54 in 46 innings, but also walked 48 while allowing 26 hits. So even though opponents had a 1.61 WHIP against Estes, he still held them to a .188 average.

12 percent of players selected from the 749th position make the major leagues, led by Nate McLouth (2000, Pittsburgh Pirates, 6.4 career WAR) and Don Shaw (1965, New York Mets, 1.0 WAR). If Estes makes it, he’ll be the seventh. Follow Estes on Twitter @ev_guy33.

After signing, Estes reported to the GCL Marlins, in the Florida-based, rookie-level Gulf Coast League. In 12 games, he walked 17 and struck out 16 in 17 2/3 innings. He continued to maintain the same level of hit-and-miss with the opposition, allowing only 10 hits, but his pitches were all over the place. He went 1-1 with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.528 WHIP.

More from Marlins Prospects

• Miami Marlins: Checking in on prospects from the 2022 Arizona Fall League
• Miami Marlins: How top 2022 MLB Draft picks performed this season
• What’s wrong with Kahlil Watson?
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 2
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 1

In 2018, Estes started the season with the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League. In 18 relief appearances, he struck out 20 in 26 2/3 innings, walking 18 and allowing 34 hits. He earned a 5.74 ERA and a frightening 1.950 WHIP, while opponents hit .321 against him. On July 13th, Estes pitched two innings of relief, allowing no hits and two walks while striking out four in a 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Connecticut Tigers.

Although Estes lost a little bit of that swing-and-miss magic in 2018, he also reduced his base-on-balls rate by nearly a third. He’s still progressing in the right direction, and the Miami Marlins will probably start him with the Clinton LumberKings in 2019, in the single-A Midwest League. With normal progression through the minor league system, he’ll join the Marlins in Spring Training around 2021, with a shot at actually making the club in 2022.

Thanks for reading. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our daily newsletter to keep up with the Miami Marlins.