Kyle Freeland is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at Evansville and was drafted by the Rockies with the eighth pick in the first round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.
Don and Susan Freeland gave birth to their first child, Freeland, on May 14, 1993, in Denver, Colorado. Colin, his older brother, is his only sibling.
When he was younger, Freeland participated in a wide range of activities, but his best sports were golf and baseball. In Denver, Colorado, he attended Thomas Jefferson High School.
Although Freeland was picked 35th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2011, he chose to attend the University of Evansville rather than sign a contract and play in the minor leagues.
Freeland made 14 starts as a freshman in 2012, going 4–5 with a 4.55 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 91 innings. The following year, he appeared in 14 games, starting four of them, with a 4.34 earned run average and 84 strikeouts in 93 and a half innings.
During his time in the Cape Cod League, he compiled a 2.25 ERA and 48 strikeouts with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks and was named a league all-star.
Over the course of 99+23 innings, he went 10-2 with a 1.90 ERA and 128 strikeouts (14 starts). He was signed by the Rockies as a free agent after his junior year.
How Good Is Kyle Freeland?
In addition to a fluid arm and plus-plus control, Kyle Freeland has a 15-1 strikeout-walk ratio and ranks third in the country with 106 strikeouts.
A fastball of 93-94 mph and a powerful slider of 85-86 mph get Freeland swings and misses when they’re in the correct place.