Estrada was sort of under the radar when he signed with the Orioles for $175,000 as part of their 2022 international class, but he quickly made a name for himself with a big debut in the Dominican Summer League, ranking among the leaders in hitting (.368), on-base percentage (.483) and OPS (1.049). He wasn’t as dynamic in the Florida Complex League the following year, but looked more like the DSL version of himself during his full-season debut in 2024 as he slashed .286/.356/.416 with nine homers and 39 steals and earned a promotion to High-A Aberdeen at age 19. The quasi-breakout raised Estrada’s stock so that he became a frequent target in trades talks the Orioles had with other clubs.
Though he’s undersized and lacks any big tools, there’s a lot to like about what Estrada brings to the table. He’s a switch-hitting infielder who makes a lot of contact and manages the zone well from both sides of the plate. He isn’t a slugger, but there is probably enough raw pop in there -- more from the left side -- for him to get to double-digit homers per year. He’s a strong, aggressive runner, which enhances what is a high-floor hit-over-power profile.
Primarily a middle infielder, Estrada is athletic enough to move around and has already played six positions in his brief career. His average arm is good enough to not hurt him anywhere. Overall, he’s probably best suited long-term for second base, where he has a potential ceiling of an everyday player. If that doesn’t quite materialize, his blend of skills projects a helpful utility type who can do a little bit of everything.
The top acquisition in the 2022 international signing period for the Orioles was current Top 30 prospect Braylin Tavera, who received $1.7 million to sign. But he was just one of 15 players to get a bonus of six figures or more. Estrada was closer to the bottom end of that group, getting $175,000 to join the organization in January out of Venezuela. He made a very strong first impression by finishing second in the Dominican Summer League with his .368 batting average, third in on base percentage (.483) and fourth in OPS (1.049). After a relatively non-descript United States debut in the Florida Complex League in 2023, he looked a bit more like the DSL version of himself as a hitter during his full-season debut in 2024, earning a promotion from Single-A Delmarva to High-A Aberdeen in August at age 19.
Estrada is an undersized, yet athletic, switch-hitting infielder who has shown the ability to make a ton of contact from both sides of the plate. He’s had a little more impact from the left side, but has shown ability to manage the strike zone and limit strikeouts from both sides of the plate. It’s a hit-over-power profile for sure, but there’s enough raw pop in there for him to maybe get to 10-15 homers per year as a big leaguer. He runs well and likes to be aggressive on the basepaths.
Estrada has played more second base than any other position so far in his brief pro career, but he’s shown the ability to play three infield spots and has even mixed in some outfield as well. He might best profile as a super-utility type who can hit and run, with a chance to reach a ceiling as an every day player suited for second base.
