Kyle Freeland’s strikeout prowess has earned him a place at the top of Colorado baseball this season.
Photo by Mia Nogueira
The letter “K” can stand for many things when it comes to Freeland. Simply put, it is the first letter of his name, which is Kyle. To a non-baseball fan, this may seem like the only significance that a single letter of the English alphabet may embody to a person. However, to baseball players and enthusiasts around the world, the letter “K” is of the utmost importance. As any good scorekeeper would know, in baseball statistics the letter “K” is the symbol for a strikeout. With 136 K’s and counting, Freeland is without a doubt a player who is very familiar with this particular stat in pitching.
Coming into this season, it was difficult to anticipate just how much Kyle could accomplish individually and for the team this season. Of course it was common knowledge within TJ’s walls – and in the state of Colorado as a whole – that Kyle Freeland was a very talented baseball player. “I’ve played with Kyle for many years and he has always been a guy that stands out above the rest. Even from a young age, it was easy to see that Kyle’s drive and natural talent would take him far in baseball,” says TJ Catcher Grant Maloney. However, Kyle’s accomplishments this year have more than met any goals coaches and teammates could have set for this talented player.
Kyle’s pitching ability is a skill that many baseball players admire, desire, and aspire to have. This season, Kyle has smashed through records and any ill-informed low expectations with authority. He has completely dominated on the mound, and has not only lead at the helm of the Spartan pitching lineup, but is also one of the leaders in many important pitching categories in the state of Colorado.
As previously stated, Kyle Freeland has recorded 136 strikeouts this season. To put that outstanding number into some perspective for what an achievement it is, here are some comparative statistics. Kyle’s 136 strikeouts leads the state in all leagues. He is not only the leader of this category this year; he owns it. It is safe to say that this fact holds indisputable standing in the strikeout statistic without competition, with his total more than doubling the second highest K total (67). With this many strikeouts, Kyle’s biggest achievement might lie in the fact that his standout season will forever be remembered in Colorado pitching history books when he passed the state K record and set a new bar for the most strikeouts ever recorded by a pitcher in a single season. Kyle’s 8 wins this season is also the highest in 4A baseball, and his season ERA of 1.39 in over 65 innings pitched is almost unheard of and unbelievable at his age.
All of the accomplishments that Kyle has delivered on the mound this season somewhat overshadow the other parts of his game; however, his success at the plate cannot be ignored. This year, Kyle is not only a formidable force on the mound against opposing batters, but he also is a terror to opposing pitchers with the best batting average in 4A (.631 avg). This makes him a great asset to the team in the offensive part of the game as well. Kyle notably has one of the top slugging percentages in Colorado with a 1.185% and also ranks within the top 10 among players in 4A for stolen bases, doubles, triples, and home runs. “Kyle is the type of player that can simply do it all. It’s great to be able to play with this type of guy because you know he will always come through for the team,” says teammate Sean Gonzalez.
Coach Robby Bales also adds, “Players like Kyle don’t come around very often. He can hit for average and power, he runs well, he’s a good defender and he can obviously throw.”
Kyle possesses many traits that makes him one of the best student athletes that TJ baseball has ever had the honor of calling one of their own. Not only does he have a heap of natural talent and ability, but he also possesses character traits that compliment his skills and make him the outstanding athlete and teammate that he is. These character traits that help to make Kyle a great baseball player and teammate are those of leadership, dedication, and an unquestioned work ethic. “Playing on the same team as Kyle is something that I will miss most about playing TJ baseball. When you see a guy pushing himself to be the best he can be, it makes the rest of the team – including myself – want to match his intensity and passion for the game,” said Senior Pitcher Joe Sedig.
Of course, much of Kyle’s success comes from personal determination and striving to be the best, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been helped a long the way and supported by many influential people to get where he is today. “Much of what I have been able to accomplish so far in my baseball career is due to support from my family, coaches, and teammates,” says Kyle. “I’d have to say my Dad [Don Freeland] has always been a helpful force, pushing me to be the best possible player I can be and helping me to perfect my game. Also Coach Maloney [Former TJ pitching coach and father of Catcher Grant Maloney] has always been someone who really understood the game and could show me how to hone my skills and work to my strengths to have success on the mound,” Kyle added.
In the future, Kyle hopes to continue his baseball career in college and inevitably strives to play professional Major League Baseball. In the fall, he will attend the University of Evansville (a top D1 baseball program) located in southern Indiana, on a full-ride baseball scholarship. “Hopefully, as long as I keep my health and continue to work hard, I will attend the University of Evansville where I will play ball for several years and work on my skills and train with the coaching staff there. Then if all goes as planned, I hope to move on to the major leagues [MLB] and find a home playing professional baseball somewhere in the country,” says Freeland.
Kyle’s success and bright future in Baseball is one that many people not only hope for, but anticipate for this young man. As TJ Head Coach Robby Bales puts it, “The thing that makes him [Kyle] good is his work ethic; he’s a natural leader and leads by example. He’ll get a chance to play at a very high level. Maybe we’ll see him play on TV one day. The sky is the limit with Kyle Freeland.”
