Michael Freeman
| IP | 114 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.5 |
| WHIP | 1.667 |
| BB/9 | 5.289 |
| SO/9 | 6.079 |
- Full name Michael Freeman
- Born 10/07/1991 in Tulsa, OK
- Profile Ht.: 6'8" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: R / Throws: L
- School Oklahoma State
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Drafted in the 7th round (199th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2015 (signed for $100,000).
View Draft Report
Freeman is one of the most fascinating stories of the 2015 draft. A giant (6-foot-8) lefty who didn't have the stuff for Division I baseball out of high school, Oklahoma State signed him out of Eastern Oklahoma JC in part because pitching coach Rob Walton had seen him pitch on son Donnie Walton's high school team. Rob Walton remade Freeman's mechanics, dropping him down to a very low three-quarters arm slot that allowed him to become a master manipulator of his fastball. Freeman can run, cut and sink his 85-89 mph heater. While the velocity is below-average, hitters can't seem to make solid contact because of its whiffle ball-like movement and his deceptive delivery that makes it hard to pick the ball up. Most importantly, whether he's letting the fastball run, cut or sink, he's also mixing in his average changeup that comes out of the same release point with the same arm action, which makes it very hard for hitters to figure out what's coming. Freeman also flips up a sweepy curveball that is a change of pace. Freeman's lack of fastball velocity makes it most likely that he'll be moved to the bullpen as an inexpensive senior sign. With his ability to work down in the zone, he could move quickly as a lefty reliever.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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For most of his baseball career, Freeman was considered a non-prospect. But Oklahoma State pitching coach Rob Walton convinced Freeman to drop down to a low three-quarters arm slot and Freeman turned into one of the most surprising aces in college baseball. After posting a 6.28 ERA in 14 innings as a junior, he went 10-3, 1.31 as a senior. A $100,000 senior sign, Freeman made it to Double-A in his first half-season as a pro. Freeman has no pitch that grades as average when you consider he's tossing up fastball after 85-89 mph fastball. Lefties find it almost impossible to hit him because he gets otherworldly movement on the fastball and then drops in a surprise slider. In his pro debut, Freeman held lefties to a .043 average (2-for-45). Both the hits were singles. He manipulates the baseball and has average control. Freeman is much more hittable when he faces righthanders because his below-average changeup doesn't get them off of his fastball, and because he's a low-slot lefty they get a good look at the ball. Freeman's future is as a lefty specialist, but he's should be ready to fill that role in the big leagues quickly, possibly at some point in 2016.
Draft Prospects
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Freeman is one of the most fascinating stories of the 2015 draft. A giant (6-foot-8) lefty who didn't have the stuff for Division I baseball out of high school, Oklahoma State signed him out of Eastern Oklahoma JC in part because pitching coach Rob Walton had seen him pitch on son Donnie Walton's high school team. Rob Walton remade Freeman's mechanics, dropping him down to a very low three-quarters arm slot that allowed him to become a master manipulator of his fastball. Freeman can run, cut and sink his 85-89 mph heater. While the velocity is below-average, hitters can't seem to make solid contact because of its whiffle ball-like movement and his deceptive delivery that makes it hard to pick the ball up. Most importantly, whether he's letting the fastball run, cut or sink, he's also mixing in his average changeup that comes out of the same release point with the same arm action, which makes it very hard for hitters to figure out what's coming. Freeman also flips up a sweepy curveball that is a change of pace. Freeman's lack of fastball velocity makes it most likely that he'll be moved to the bullpen as an inexpensive senior sign. With his ability to work down in the zone, he could move quickly as a lefty reliever.
