Minor League Baseball Review:

Estrada, who was selected by the Nationals in the sixth round (174th overall) in the Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft in 2005, struck out 98 and allowed 133 hits in 136 1/3 innings with the Chiefs. Estrada was honored as the August Topps International League Player of the Month. Estrada made six starts in August and went 4-0 with a 1.15 ERA.

Estrada was called up by Washington late in the season for the second year in a row. He made his starting debut in an 11-3 loss to the Florida Marlins on Sept. 12 and later pitched out of the bullpen.

“I’ve always been a starter, so my mindset is a little more at ease than it was as a reliever,” Estrada told mlb.com. “When you’re a reliever, you hear that phone ring and your heart starts to pound, because you never know who it’s going to be. As a starter, you know when you’re going to pitch, so it makes it a little easier to mentally prepare.”

Jason Hirsh (St. Francis High, 2000) Colorado Springs Sky Sox and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, starting pitcher: Hirsh saw his career revived after being acquired by the New York Yankees from the Colorado Rockies on July 29.

Hirsh began the season with triple-A Colorado Springs, where he went 6-7 with a 6.66 earned-run average. He had 20 appearances with the Sky Sox, including 16 as a starter. He struck out 59 and allowed 130 hits in 101 1/3 innings.

After joining Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Hirsh went 4-0 and helped the Yankees capture the International League’s North Division championship.

The California Lutheran University graduate made six starts with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, finishing with a 1.35 ERA. He struck out 21 in 26 2/3 innings.

Doug Slaten (Glendale Community College, 1999) Reno Aces, relief pitcher: After beginning the season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Slaten was sent to Reno, the triple-A affiliate of the Diamondbacks, on May 29. The left-hander didn’t have a decision in 10 appearances this season with Arizona, posting a 6.35 earned-run average. He struck out four and allowed four earned runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

After joining Reno, Slaten went 3-2 with nine saves. Slaten, who helped Arizona win the National League West Division championship in 2007, made 39 appearances. In 43 2/3 innings, Slaten struck out 40 and allowed 41 hits.

Reno went 79-64 and finished in second place in the Pacific Coast League’s Pacific South Division.