Johnny Oestreich

Johnny Oestreich was an independent league pitcher for three or four years. He threw in the mid-90s and won two Most Valuable Pitcher Awards in his short career. He went 8-2 with a 3.18 ERA, 96 Ks and 19 walks in 76 IP for the 1996 Dubois County Dragons and won Most Valuable Pitcher honors in the Heartland League. He led the league in wins and strikeouts. In '97, John was 9-4 for the Tennessee Tomahawks and led the Heartland League in strikeouts again (120 in 100 IP). In 1999, Johnny became a reliever for Dubois County and went 1-2 with 20 saves, a 3.69 ERA, 69 K, 26 hits allowed and 13 walks in 39 innings. He was named the Frontier League All-Star reliever and Most Valuable Pitcher.

He was offered contracts by four major league organizations in 1999 but declined to teach social studies and coach high school baseball and volleyball.

He is now the economics teacher at Westfield High School in Westfield, Indiana. He coaches baseball there.

Sources: 1997-2000 Baseball Almanacs