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Like nearly every MIT scholar, Mason Estrada aims to utilize the knowledge he gained on campus in the professional realm.
Unlike any other MIT scholar, Estrada will soon be heading to a pitcher’s mound, with Dodger Stadium potentially becoming his workplace one day.
Estrada, the standout pitcher for MIT’s baseball squad, is finalizing a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, after the team picked him in the 7th round of the Major League Baseball draft on July 14. The right-handed pitcher, whose impressive skills garnered considerable attention from MLB scouts, will soon report to the Dodgers’ training camp in Arizona.
“I’m definitely thrilled,” states Estrada, who was anticipated to be a potential draft pick but was unaware that he would be chosen by the Dodgers, the reigning champions of Major League Baseball.
To outsiders, MIT may appear as an unconventional launching pad for a pitching career, yet it has benefited Estrada in various ways: by offering a strong baseball program itself, and, more subtly, by reinforcing the significance of systematic advancement, particularly as baseball pitching increasingly mirrors, well, engineering.
Regarding the first point, Estrada commends his MIT coaches and teammates for the baseball atmosphere they have collectively fostered.
“It was really fantastic,” Estrada reflects on his baseball experience at the Institute. “I was surrounded by a group of individuals that aimed to win. There was an excellent team culture of perseverance and hard work.”
In addition, pitching in professional baseball now more than ever emphasizes “pitch design” or “pitch shaping.” For over a decade, major league teams have utilized high-speed cameras to identify which pitches are most effective. Consequently, pitchers frequently reverse-engineer elements of their techniques, beginning with the desired outcome and then determining the combination of speed and movement that can confound hitters.
In this context enters Estrada, an MIT aeronautics and astronautics major — although he clarifies that pitching at MIT has never required applying aerodynamic principles from the classroom to the pitcher’s mound. Instead, what is essential is employing feedback and analysis to enhance performance.
“It’s not necessarily linked to the subject I was studying,” Estrada remarks. “It’s about learning to think like an engineer in general, approaching problems correctly, and discovering the optimal solution.”
This season, Estrada enjoyed an undefeated record of 6-0 with a 2.21 ERA for MIT, tallying 66 strikeouts and allowing only 22 hits in 40 2/3 innings throughout the season. Additional statistics hint at his capabilities: Estrada’s fastball has reached 96 miles per hour, and he throws two varieties of sliders, clocking in the upper 80s while generating up to 2,700 rotations per minute, aligning with major league standards.
On the mound, Estrada harnesses his lower body to generate significant momentum towards home plate — “I must rely on my strength,” he states. Pitchers who share similar aspects include Spencer Strider of the Atlanta Braves, though Estrada emphasizes, “Every professional player is unique.”
MIT’s baseball coaches commend Estrada’s commitment to the sport.
“Mason’s work ethic is unparalleled,” declares Todd Carroll, MIT’s pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, now in his 13th season at the Institute. Carroll believes Estrada’s fastball and sliders could transition effectively to the professional arena. He also notes that the forward motion of Estrada’s delivery means that when he pitches, “It’s fast approaching the hitter.”
Carroll agrees that the engineering mentality on campus significantly contributes to players’ long-term improvement.
“MIT scholars are problem-solvers,” he explains. “MIT is a place where individuals can excel at that as well as anywhere globally. When a pitcher here misses the strike zone, it’s a challenge they’re eager to tackle.”
Ultimately, all the off-field analysis and preparation is aimed at allowing Estrada to truly express himself on the field. For athletes, certain areas of the brain are often better put on hold during competition.
“During games, I’m solely focused on retiring the hitter,” Estrada notes. “I remain in the moment.”
Interestingly, baseball’s relatively recent domain of pitch shaping and design has been supported by MIT-connected technology. The type of high-speed video camera utilized by many teams, the Edgertronic, is produced by Sanstreak Corp., founded by Mike Matter ’84, a graduate of what is now the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. If the camera name seems familiar, it should: Matter named it in tribute to Harold “Doc” Edgerton, the legendary MIT pioneer of high-speed photography, whom Matter regarded as a mentor.
Estrada is the fifth MIT undergraduate ever chosen in baseball’s draft, which commenced in 1966, and the highest-drafted athlete in MIT’s history at 225th overall. The other players include Alan Dopfel ’72, chosen by the California Angels; Jason Szuminski ’00, selected by the San Diego Padres; Austin Filiere ’18 chosen by the Chicago Cubs; and David Hesslink ’17, picked by the Seattle Mariners. Among those players, Szuminski reached the majors with the Padres.
At least two major league pitchers also have earned MIT degrees after completing extensive baseball careers: Chris Capuano MBA ’19, a former All-Star with the Brewers, who obtained his master’s degree in management as part of the MIT Sloan Fellows program, and Skip Lockwood SM ’83.
As a Dodger, Estrada joins an organization renowned for exceptional pitching: Since relocating to Los Angeles in 1958, their star pitchers have featured Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, and Clayton Kershaw.
Additionally, the Dodgers are recognized for investing significant resources in player development, remaining at the forefront of analytics while expanding their staff to aid players’ growth. They have clinched the World Series title twice in this decade, in 2020 and 2024.
Regardless of what transpires on the field, Estrada intends to return to MIT to finalize his degree. Prior to the draft, he had intended to temporarily transfer to the University of Tennessee to play Division I baseball next season, with plans to return to MIT as a student. However, Estrada will no longer pursue that path now that he is signing with the Dodgers.
As things presently stand, Estrada is taking a leave of absence from the Institute while his professional journey commences.
“I want to express my gratitude to MIT and the MIT baseball coaching staff for everything they’ve done,” Estrada conveys.
And now, with campus experience in hand, Estrada embarks on his unique professional environment.
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