The former Chicago Cubs burnout became the San Diego Padres' breakout star

The Chicago Cubs let a struggling pitcher leave after the 2023 season and he has now become a key player on a San Diego Padres team pushing for a World Series trophy.

Jeremiah Estrada was selected by the Cubs in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Even though he was never expected to be “the next big thing,” he definitely managed to generate a bit of excitement.

According to MLB.com prospect rankings, Estrada was ranked 17th in Chicago's farm system in 2018.

He was always a pitcher who showed flashes of potential, but there was never a great deal of confidence that he could do it at a consistent rate. His fastball had very different velocities and his changeup also showed some potential, according to his scouting report.

The California native had a terrible 2019 season and didn't throw a pitch at all in 2020 as the pandemic wiped out that season. However, when 2021 came and he got back on the mound, there was hope again.

By 2022, he had lowered his ERA to just 1.30 over 48.1 innings pitched in High-A up to Triple A.

He made his MLB debut as a COVID-19 replacement when he had two strikeouts and a walk against the Toronto Blue Jays, but was sent back down immediately after the game. He was drafted back in September and finished the year with a 3.18 ERA.

In 2023, Estrada was given another chance, but struggled greatly. His 6.75 ERA makes things look even better than they were, as he has completely collapsed in his last five games for the team.

He was released in November and eventually claimed by the Padres. The once outcast has now become a bona fide star in San Diego's bullpen.

He had a few rough patches this season, but he performed very well at both the start and end of the regular season.

He set an MLB record when he struck out 13 consecutive batters in May.

In his final month of work, he posted a 0.84 ERA in 13 games and 10.2 innings.

A big reason for his success is that his fastball velocity increases to an average of over 97 mph and he has added a killer splitter to his repertoire.

Given the struggles of the Cubs bullpen this season, playing around this version of Estrada probably would have helped.