Gaines Estridge is giving Air Force rotation juice with a live arm and starter upside
In the 2026 season, Estridge showed real two-way value for Air Force: he earned a career-high six-inning win in the opener against Penn State, struck out four, and didn’t allow a run[3][4]. The right-hander was also projected into a starting role after working mostly out of the bullpen in 2024, when he logged 26.2 innings, 15 strikeouts, and a 1-0 record across 23 appearances[6][9]. He looks like a gritty, adaptable RHP whose best trait is giving the Falcons innings without blinking, and that kind of bulldog reliability is exactly why he’s worth caring about[6][14].
