Jonathan Estes

When Jonathan Estes transferred to Freed-Hardeman after one season at NCAA Division I Saint Louis University, he was expected to be an impact player on the mound for the Lion baseball team.  Estes did not disappoint, as he put together one of the best careers of any pitcher in FHU history.

In his first season with the Lions, Estes was a workhorse on the mound logging a program-record 99 innings.  He went 6-6 with a 2.91 ERA and 91 strikeouts.  As a junior, he set what was at the time the lowest single-season ERA in team history (2.17) and followed that with a 2.46 ERA in his final season to go along with 84 strikeouts and three saves.  He also came within one-third of an inning of tying his own record for most innings pitched in a season.

Estes presently ranks first in program history in career ERA (2.51) and career complete games (25).  He also ranks third in career strikeouts (231), third in innings pitched (281.2) and fifth in wins (18) despite playing only three seasons.

After completing his career at FHU, Estes was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and played for three seasons in their farm system where he posted a 7-3 record with a 3.54 ERA in two seasons.  He then moved into the coaching ranks, leading the rebuild of the baseball program at Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) University before taking the reins at FHU in 2009.  In 2012, he led the Lions to their first conference title in 15 years and followed it up in 2015 with another conference title, this time with the American Midwest Conference.