The MLB Draft League announced that the Houston Astros have purchased the contract of RHP Carson Estridge from the West Virginia Black Bears. He is the first Draft League professional player to have their contract purchased by a Major League club this season, and 15th since the league implemented a professional, second-half format in 2022.

Estridge, 22, made six appearances out of the bullpen for the Black Bears, splitting three in the first and three in the second half. Across 10 total innings, the right-hander struck out 11 batters while allowing no runs in half of his appearances.

Amongst those scoreless appearances, Estridge struck out his season-best three batters through two innings where he surrendered one hit and walk on July 4 at Mahoning Valley. In his final Draft League outing, he completed three innings which would tie for his most in all of 2026 between the Black Bears and college.

Morgantown, W.Va. and Wagener Field at Kenrick Family Ballpark was nothing new to the Virginia native, as Estridge joined the Black Bears after four seasons as part of the West Virginia University baseball program. This past spring with the Mountaineers, he played an integral part in their Men’s College World Series journey that made it all the way to Omaha, with the third-most appearances (22) and had the second-most strikeouts (34) from a pitcher who did not start a game. His production out of the bullpen would result in being an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.

Overall, in college, the Haymarket, Va., native ended with 76 appearances, tying for the most in Mountaineer history while striking out 165 batters in 151 innings.

Estridge’s purchased contract comes on the heels of a historic 2026 MLB Draft within the Draft League with 58 players selected. Additionally, the league tied the 2024 and 2025 seasons with 36 draft picks who played in the same summer as their selection. In the league’s sixth season, the MLB Draft League has produced 291 MLB Draft picks and more than 200 players have signed as undrafted free agents.

For more information about the MLB Draft League, visit mlbdraftleague.com or follow @mlbdraftleague and @draftleaguedata on Twitter, and @mlbdraftleague on Instagram.