The Indians announced this morning that they’ve re-signed infielder Mike Freeman to a minor league pact and invited him to Major League Spring Training. Cleveland also inked righty DJ Johnson to a minor league deal and will bring him to Major League camp.
Freeman, 33, has spent the past two seasons in the Cleveland organization, working in a utility capacity and slashing a combined .270/.352/.377 in 256 plate appearances. He’s seen time at all four infield spots and in both outfield corners along the way, with the majority of his work coming at second base and at third base. While he doesn’t have much power, Freeman has a productive track record in Triple-A and a history of average or better walk rates. He could join Yu Chang in vying for a bench spot this spring.
Johnson, meanwhile, spent the 2020 season pitching in Japan between the Hiroshima Carp and the Rakuten Eagles. He had some struggles with the Carp but did pitch to a 3.07 ERA with a 16-to-6 K/BB ratio in 14 2/3 innings with the Eagles.
Prior to that NPB stint, Johnson saw big league action with the Rockies in 2018-19, logging a 4.88 ERA and 4.93 SIERA with average strikeout and walk rates but a 14.7 percent walk rate that was far too high for sustained success. Johnson has punched out a quarter of the minor league hitters he’s faced in his career, including exactly one third of the 453 hitters he’s faced in Triple-A.
again, like the Johnson get. think he’s just coming into his own and is a bit of a late bloomer.
WHO?????????
Mike Freeman is about an interesting of a baseball player as his name indicates.
the best active baseball player named either Mike or Freeman, granted.
Mike Trout would like a word with you, and then Freddie Freeman says hello.
whooooooooosh
You must not be good with jokes
Mike Freeman I believe
He’s a man whos been known to get things
At 32 & a career 0.1 WAR he needs to be coming into more than his own. Ahahaha!
as opposed to the dozens of pitchers who come up every year and get hammered?
While clearly lame, I’m not sure I understand what this even means. Are you saying he has to procreate?
Oh my God, CLE just can’t seem to move on from Freeman. I get that he works cheap, but come on. They did this same dance several years ago with Michael Martínez.
One Freeman to hold the fort, until the other Freeman is ready.
The summary says JT Johnson has average walk and strikeout rates and then says his 14.7 walk rate is much too high for success. Does that mean the average walk rate is much too high for success, or is 14.7 worse than ave, and they misspoke? I would think a pitcher could succeed while giving out the usual free passes.