Atlanta Braves: 10 Current Players Freddie Freeman Could Develop Into
Freddie Freeman is the Braves’ top offensive prospect and a guy who the team will be depending on at one of baseball’s most important offensive positions.
Freeman is all but a lock to be the Braves’ first baseman and should end up producing at a very good level even this year. He may not reach Jason Heyward’s success from a year ago, but don’t be shocked if Freeman wins the Rookie of the Year award or finishes very close to doing it.
Freeman is already a good defensive first baseman and a guy who could progress into a Gold Glove-caliber defender at some point in his career. Because of this the focus of this slideshow is to look at some guys I think Freeman can become on the offensive side, regardless of the position that they play.
Things To Know About Freddie Freeman
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Freeman does not seem like he will become one of the top power hitters in the majors, but instead looks like a guy who is going to be more of a .300-25-100 type of guy at a position that doesn’t boast too many .300 hitters. This makes Freeman an interesting guy to project compared to other players around the league.
This is ESPN’s Keith Law’s take on Freeman: “Freeman keeps performing even though he is young for his levels and doesn't possess any plus tools to get you excited. He is a big kid with a very good feel for the bat, and he's extremely short to the ball despite long arms; that produces a lot of hard contact without big power, which might require a significant change to how he uses his lower half. He never has been a high-walk guy, either—45 is his single-season high in pro ball, excluding intentionals—although he consistently hits for high enough averages that his OBPs are good.
He is an above-average defensive first baseman and is ready to step in right now as Atlanta's regular first baseman, so the lack of ceiling is mitigated by the fact that he can provide value right away.”
1. Derek Lee
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162 Game Averages
.282 BA, 28 HR, 90 RBI, .367 OBP, .496 SLG, .865 OPS
We start the list with the Braves’ most recent first baseman, and it would be a comparison I wouldn’t mind having Freeman matching.
Lee has played Gold Glove defense over the course of his career to go along with his pretty good offensive numbers. Freeman projects to hit for a higher average, but the rest of the numbers seem to be about where they should be if Freeman progresses like most expect him too.
The homer average may be a little bit much to expect for Freeman, but if he can put that up he will be a feared guy in the middle of the Braves’ lineup for the next decade.
2.Casey McGehee
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162 Game Averages
.288 BA, 22 HR, 101 RBI, .342 OBP, .470 SLG, .812 OPS
McGehee may seem like a strange pick, but the numbers don’t lie, McGehee can rake. He’s one of the game’s best scrappy hitters who would fit perfectly into any lineup in any period of baseball history. His numbers wouldn’t hurt him either.
The batting average may be a little low again, but it is still good nonetheless. His homer average is right where I expect Freeman to be throughout the first few years of his career.
Braves’ fans would also be sure to take that RBI production from Freeman for the next decade, and it is something that is very possible with guys like Martin Prado and Jason Heyward who are going to be in front of him for the majority of it.
Overall, Freeman should end up fairly close to these numbers, with perhaps a better on-base percentage, but even if he matches McGehee’s on-base percentage, Freeman will still be in good shape.
3. Aubrey Huff
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162 Game Averages
.283 BA, 25 HR, 92 RBI, .345 OBP, .476 SLG, .821 OBP
The first baseman for the World Series-winning San Francisco Giants has quietly put together a very good career. Playing in small markets Tampa Bay and Baltimore will do that to you.
Huff is a guy who Freeman should really look to model his overall persona after. Huff is a great teammate who is loved by everyone who has ever shared a locker room with him, and he produces. That’s a combination that you don’t see very much anymore.
Huff’s numbers would make most any fan happy from their first baseman for a decade. If you look at some of the names that the Braves have used the last 10 years at first base (Rico Brogna, Troy Glaus and Casey Kotchman), they would likely be ecstatic if Freeman developed into these numbers or better.
4. Scott Rolen
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162 Game Averages
.284 BA, 26 HR, 104 RBI, .369 OBP, .498 SLG, .867 OPS
Rolen is another class act that I would love for Freeman to follow. Rolen’s career numbers would be much better without a couple of injury-riddled seasons.
Rolen’s numbers, other than that pesky average, are also right on pace with the expectations for Freeman. This is one of the best expectations for me as far as what to expect from Freeman
Rolen also boasts the most RBI per 162 games so far on this list, making an even more attractive comparison for Freeman to follow. His home run number is also not something that is out of Freeman’s range, and Rolen has also put together a high double average of 41, which Freeman should be all over during the course of his career.
If he can match Rolen’s numbers and persona, Freeman will be a fan favorite in Atlanta for years to come.
5. Billy Butler
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162 Game Averages
.299 BA, 17 HR, 84 RBI, .359 OBP, .457 SLG, .816 OPS
Butler is a guy who kind of fits what most expect from Freeman. He is a high average guy who doesn’t hit for much power, though Freeman should progress to hit at least 20 a year.
Butler is a very good hitter who doesn’t strike out much and has a good overall approach to the plate, as shown by his .359 on-base percentage.
Butler may not hit many home runs, but he has managed to average 43 doubles per 162 games so far in his career.
He may not be picture perfect, but even Butler’s numbers would be warranted and welcome in Atlanta and many other places.
6. Ryan Zimmerman
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162 Game Averages
.288 BA, 25 HR, 98 RBI, .355 OBP, .484 SLG, .839 OPS
Zimmerman is another guy who may seem like a weird choice, but the numbers are all reachable for Freeman as he continues to mature.
Zimmerman’s total package as a player gets more underrated than I think just about any other players in the majors. In my opinion, he is one of the best players in the game and one of the true faces of a franchise, it’s just that the franchise is the Washington Nationals, where is already a forgotten man because of Stephen Strasburg, Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper.
Zimmerman’s numbers speak for themselves though, and he has been one of the most consistent guys in the league, which is something that is very coveted by organizations. Freeman should be a guy who is very consistent with his numbers (we hope at least), so maybe this is a comparison that he will reach during his time for the Braves.
7. Adam LaRoche
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162 Game Averages
.271 BA, 26 HR, 93 RBI, .339 OBP, .488 SLG, .827 OPS
Another former Brave, when LaRoche was coming up through the minors he has what many considered to be the smoothest swing in the minors, and was expected to be a regular .300 hitter over his career.
He never achieved the .300 average, but he has hit for more power at times than what he was expected to. See the connection?
LaRoche is a guy who Freeman could turn into if he goes against his progression a bit. While I expect him to hit higher than .271, he may not hit .300-plus like some fans have already come to expect from him. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a successful player at the big league level though.
He’s one of the guys on the list who I would rather not have Freeman turn in to from an offensive standpoint, LaRoche is one of the best defensive first baseman in the league, but that is not a knock on LaRoche. The power numbers would still be something that Braves’ fans can be happy about.
8. Matt Holliday
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162 Game Averages
.317 BA, 29 HR, 111 RBI, .388 OBP, .543 SLG, .931 OPS
Holliday is probably the stretch of the slide and is the guy with the one average that seems to be above Freeman’s projections.
Holliday has had some special seasons over the course of his career, including back-to-back 30-homer seasons in 2006 and 2007. With the Cardinals he has hit 41 homers in 221 games, a pretty healthy number.
Holliday is likely a bit out of Freeman’s reach, but would be exceptional for the young talent if he could match what Holliday has done this far.
Could the Braves afford him if he did though? We just might find out.
9. Michael Young
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162 Game Averages
.300 BA, 17 HR, 87 RBI, .347 OBP, .448 SLG, .795 OPS
Young’s numbers are a little lower than what I’m expecting from Freeman, but Young has been considered a very consistent and good hitter during his time for the Texas Rangers.
He has also produced four 20-homer seasons, so that’s not a terrible comparison from what to expect from Freeman. His 37 doubles per 162 games are right up Freeman’s ally I think though.
Young’s average is more where I point to from this comparison, since it is right where many think Freeman will eventually hit. If he can match that average with the power of a guy like LaRoche or Holliday, the Braves’ will have one of the best one-two punches of the next decade with Jason Heyward and Freeman.
10. Justin Morneau
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162 Game Averages
.286 BA, 31 HR, 116 RBI, .358 OBP, .511 SLG, .869 OPS
The former Most Valuable Player has already had a very good career, including hitting .345 in an injury-riddled 2010, and he can still progress even more.
Freeman is not expected to hit for the kind of power that Mourneau has, so I would this comparison is a max of what you can even hope for over his career.
Freeman should better his overall average though and should even better his doubles per 162 games (37). If Freeman can have that type of career, he may be a future Most Valuable Player in the league.
