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Freddie Freeman scorching at Triple-A
ATLANTA -- While the Braves struggle with production at first base, top prospect Freddie Freeman is red-hot with Triple-A Gwinnett.
The left-handed hitter was 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs in an 11-7 victory at Lehigh Valley on Saturday night, raising his average to .305 as he continued a steady climb despite being one of the youngest players in the International League.
Freeman, who doesn't turn 21 until Sept. 12, was hitting .325 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs in 57 games since the start of June and was 8-for-12 with three doubles, a homer and six RBIs in the first three games at Lehigh Valley.
"He was just happy to make the Triple-A team at the start of the season," manager Dave Brundage said before the G-Braves opened the road trip. "I'm sure his goal has always been to be the first baseman in Atlanta, but I don't think that was on his mind at the start of the season. Now he's close and I'm sure he can feel it."
Overall, Freeman has 27 doubles, two triples, 15 homers and 69 RBIs in 101 games. He has a .368 on-base percentage and a .509 slugging mark, giving him an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of .877. The second-round Draft pick in 2007 has a .320 average against right-handers and a .324 mark with runners on base.
"He looks so comfortable now," Brundage said. "He's grown up as a hitter and a ballplayer. From the first day, it's been fun to watch him mature and get better."
Freeman suffered some growing pains early in the season, but they didn't last long.
"At the beginning of the year, I was swinging at a lot of first pitches and getting myself out," Freeman said before the road trip. "Pitchers were able to feast on my aggressiveness. Now I'm more patient and have been able to work the count. It's turned my season around.
"I've worked on improving my plate discipline and it is paying off. It's a game of adjustments and I think I've shown that I'm able to make them. You have to adjust to pitchers, because they're adjusting to you every at-bat."
The Braves have been counting on Freeman to be ready to potentially take over at first base next season. With veteran Troy Glaus struggling, could Freeman make his Major League debut before the end of this season?
"You known that Turner Field is just 45 minutes away [from Gwinnett] and it gives you that extra push," said Freeman, who lives with Braves rookie sensation Jason Heyward in Atlanta. "It makes you work even harder."
The left-handed hitter was 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs in an 11-7 victory at Lehigh Valley on Saturday night, raising his average to .305 as he continued a steady climb despite being one of the youngest players in the International League.
Freeman, who doesn't turn 21 until Sept. 12, was hitting .325 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs in 57 games since the start of June and was 8-for-12 with three doubles, a homer and six RBIs in the first three games at Lehigh Valley.
"He was just happy to make the Triple-A team at the start of the season," manager Dave Brundage said before the G-Braves opened the road trip. "I'm sure his goal has always been to be the first baseman in Atlanta, but I don't think that was on his mind at the start of the season. Now he's close and I'm sure he can feel it."
Overall, Freeman has 27 doubles, two triples, 15 homers and 69 RBIs in 101 games. He has a .368 on-base percentage and a .509 slugging mark, giving him an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of .877. The second-round Draft pick in 2007 has a .320 average against right-handers and a .324 mark with runners on base.
"He looks so comfortable now," Brundage said. "He's grown up as a hitter and a ballplayer. From the first day, it's been fun to watch him mature and get better."
Freeman suffered some growing pains early in the season, but they didn't last long.
"At the beginning of the year, I was swinging at a lot of first pitches and getting myself out," Freeman said before the road trip. "Pitchers were able to feast on my aggressiveness. Now I'm more patient and have been able to work the count. It's turned my season around.
"I've worked on improving my plate discipline and it is paying off. It's a game of adjustments and I think I've shown that I'm able to make them. You have to adjust to pitchers, because they're adjusting to you every at-bat."
The Braves have been counting on Freeman to be ready to potentially take over at first base next season. With veteran Troy Glaus struggling, could Freeman make his Major League debut before the end of this season?
"You known that Turner Field is just 45 minutes away [from Gwinnett] and it gives you that extra push," said Freeman, who lives with Braves rookie sensation Jason Heyward in Atlanta. "It makes you work even harder."
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