MILWAUKEE, Wis. – It's been nearly 15 years since a former University of Evansville pitcher earned a start on a Major League Baseball mound, but that could all change next week as 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year Kyle Freeland is expected toe the rubber next Friday for the Colorado Rockies in the team's home-opening contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
On Sunday, Freeland was officially named to the 2017 Opening Day roster by the Rockies organization.
"Obviously, I'm very proud to see Kyle earn the call-up," UE head coach Wes Carroll said. "He represents our university and our program extremely well. He's overcome adversity and injuries along the way, and he's kept his head up and put himself in a position to succeed. That's the type of mentality that Evansville Baseball is all about, and I couldn't be more proud of him. I know it's a dream come true for Kyle, and I know that everyone involved with our program is looking forward to following him with the Rockies."
Freeland, who was a non-roster invitee to Rockies Spring Training in Scottsdale, Ariz., has impressed all spring, making six appearances with four starts while posting a 3.48 earned run average with 19 strikeouts over 20.2 innings of work. The 6-foot-3 lefty began the spring as a top-10 rated prospect in the Colorado farm system, and as reported by multiple outlets, he is expected to begin as the No. 5 starter in the team's rotation.
A native of Denver, Freeland could become the first pitcher to start the Coors Field opener for his home state team since Greeley's Shawn Chacon in 2003.
Freeland's journey to "The Show" began as a prep star at Thomas Jefferson High School. After being selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft, he elected to attend the University of Evansville, where he became one of the more dominant pitchers in the storied history of Valley Baseball. As a junior, he led the Aces to just their second-ever MVC regular season crown. He picked up 10 victories in the process while posting a 1.62 ERA over 94.2 innings of work, including four complete games and six outings that featured 10-or-more strikeouts. His 122 punchouts and 13.56 strikeout-to-walk ratio that season ranked second in the nation.
Following the season, Freeland was selected eighth overall by the Rockies. After spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons with the Grand Junction Rockies, Asheville Tourists and Modesto Nuts, Freeland emerged as a hot prospect in the Arizona Fall League with the Salt River Rafters. He'd parlay that success into impressive performances last season with the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats before finishing the season with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes.
Freeland is now the fifth-ever former UE player to grab a spot on a Major League roster, and he's the first since the retirement of former Aces great Jamey Carroll, who left the Kansas City Royals organization in 2013. A prototypical utility man over the course of his career, Carroll, oddly enough, was also the last UE player to appear on the mound in the majors as he tossed a perfect frame for the Twins against the Royals in 2013.
Andy Benes, the No. 1 overall pick of the 1988 draft, was the last full-fledged UE pitcher to appear on the mound in the big leagues. A recognizable member of the St. Louis Cardinals for much of his career, he stepped off the mound for good near the end of the 2002 season.
In all, there are four other Aces pursuing the Major League dream in affiliated organizations. After earning invites their respective big-league camps, Cleveland Indians farmhand Eric Stamets and New York Mets prospect Kevin Kaczmarski are set to begin their seasons in the minor leagues, most likely with the Double-A Akron RubberDucks and Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Kyle Lloyd will also be looking to continue his progression after spending the 2016 campaign with the San Antonio Missions in the San Diego Padres system. Meanwhile, Boomer Synek, who graduated from UE last spring, will hope to build off his first season with the Rookie-Level GCL Pirates.
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