Choo Freeman
| AB | 285 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .225 |
| OBP | .296 |
| SLG | .333 |
| HR | 3 |
- Full name Raphael Desepition Freeman
- Born 10/20/1979 in Pine Bluff, AR
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Dallas Christian
- Debut 06/04/2004
- Drafted in the C round (36th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 1998 (signed for $1,400,000).
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
The Rockies keep hoping Freeman will break through as a late-blooming athlete, as did his cousin Torii Hunter. But where Hunter was playing regularly in the majors by his seventh year as a pro, Freeman has just 90 big league at-bats. There never has been a question about his athleticism or work ethic, but Freeman never has had consistent success. His 2004 numbers look solid, but they were inflated by the altitude at Colorado Springs. Freeman was more of a football player in high school, when he set a Texas state record with 50 touchdown catches and was Texas A&M's top wide receiver recruit in 1998. He has tried to make adjustments, but Freeman is still mechanical in his hitting approach. He never has put up power numbers and should just focus on getting on base to make some use of his plus speed. He lacks basestealing instincts, however. Freeman has grown into a quality center fielder, albeit with a below-average arm. He still has one minor league option remaining, so he faces a third year in Triple-A unless he takes a huge step forward in spring training. -
Freeman set a Texas high school record with 50 touchdown receptions and was Texas A&M's top wide receiver recruit in 1998. He turned down the Aggies to sign for a then- Rockies record $1.4 million. His baseball skills were unrefined, so he has made a slow climb through the system, similar to his cousin Torii Hunter's rise with Minnesota. Freeman had a breakout season in 2002 but had trouble repeating it last year. He missed three weeks after his mother-in-law died, and another three weeks with an ankle injury. Freeman has a tremendous work ethic and doesn't cheat himself. He's very athletic and continues to translate that ability to the baseball field. His best tool is his speed, which helps him take extra bases and cover ground in center field. He's still honing his basestealing instincts, however. Similarly, he has raw power but has yet to unleash it much in games. His arm is below average but is getting stronger. Freeman will return to Triple-A this year, with the Rockies hoping he can recapture his 2002 form. -
A wide receiver who set a Texas high school record with 50 touchdown catches, Freeman turned down a Texas A&M football scholarship to sign for $1.4 million. His development has been slow, but he established himself defensively in 2001 and broke out with his bat and became a Southern League all-star last year. Freeman has the speed to cover the ground in center field, and the power potential to play on the corners if needed. He uses the entire field as a hitter and can use his wheels to take the extra base. His plate discipline improved immensely in 2002. Freeman's arm strength has improved but remains below-average. Despite his speed, he lacks the instincts to be a basestealer. He needs to show more confidence in his two-strike approach at the plate. For all his power potential, his career high for extra-base hits is 40. This is a key season for Freeman, who heads to Triple-A and must build off his solid 2002 effort. He has the skills to be a run-producing center fielder with the type of range the Rockies need at Coors Field, but it likely will be mid-2004 before he arrives in the big leagues to stay. -
A three-sport star in high school and a Connie Mack League teammate of Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells, Freeman turned down a scholarship to play wide receiver at Texas A&M to sign with the Rockies. A pure athlete, he has been slow to develop. He repeated high Class A last year and performed worse than he had in 2000, batting just .240 with three homers in the final two months. He did open some eyes during instructional league, when he began to develop a rhythm in his swing. Freeman benefited from the defensive expertise of Salem manager Dave Collins and began trusting his athletic abilities, which allowed him to play a shallower center field. He has the physical strength and speed to be a multitalented offensive threat, reminding scouts of a young Ellis Burks. But he'll have to learn the strike zone and improve at the plate to live up to that potential. He'll get his first chance at Double-A this year. -
Freeman was the first player who showed that the Rockies were going to start taking chances with the draft. After living by signability in previous years, they didn't hesitate to take Freeman and give him the $1.4 million to keep him from accepting a football scholarship from Texas A&M. A three-sport start at Dallas Christian High, he was a Connie Mack teammate of Blue Jays outfield prospect Vernon Wells. He is a pure athlete with the physical abilities to be an impact center fielder, as well as the power potential to play left field. He's mentally tough and willing to put in the time it takes to be successful. Freeman just needs to play so he can turn his tools into skills. He has started to develop his timing at the plate but needs to be more selective. He has the speed to steal 50 bases once he gets a better feel for that part of the game. Freeman could start at Salem for the second year in a row, with the possibility of moving to Carolina during the season. He has been pushed each of the last two years and would benefit from being allowed to dominate a league. -
Background: The expectation before last June's draft was that Choo Freeman would go to the Rangers with the 10th pick. Somehow he slipped all the way to No. 36, where the Rockies scooped him up and signed him to a $1.4 million bonus. A teammate of Blue Jays outfield prospect Vernon Wells in Connie Mack ball, Freeman owes much of his success to the family of childhood friend Ryan Cox. Freeman moved in with the Coxes in fourth grade when his mother decided they could provide a better opportunity for him than she could. He maintained a close relationship with his natural parents, particularly his mother. A three-sport athlete at Dallas Christian, Freeman passed on a football scholarship to Texas A&M, where the Aggies envisioned him as a wide receiver. He also excelled in basketball, but his real passion is baseball. He didn't disappoint in his pro debut, finishing ninth in the Rookie-level Arizona League with a .320 average. Strengths: Freeman is a potential five-tool player. He possesses the speed and quick acceleration that will allow him to steal bases and get good jumps on balls in center field, and size that projects to power. Don't be misled by his quiet demeanor: His strong showing in the Arizona League proved to the Rockies that he is a competitor who understands what it takes to succeed. For a first-year player he showed an impressive knowledge of the strike zone. Weaknesses: Freeman will occasionally misjudge fly balls, and his routes need a lot of work. He has the speed and athletic ability to overcome mistakes and turn them into spectacular plays, but with time he should make those look routine. It will be interesting to see how he responds to breaking pitches as he advances. The Future: Freeman will skip the short-season Northwest League and go directly to Class A Asheville this spring. The Rockies will be careful not to rush him, but they'll challenge him as quickly as possible. He is their center fielder of the future, and given his physical ability his future could arrive sooner than people expect.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
The first insightful scouting report on Choo Freeman read: "Great hands and tremendous concentration . . . also has outstanding size, speed and strength." That was from his days as a Texas A&M wide receiver recruit. The hands are still impeccable. So is the speed. And finally in his fifth pro season, he made strides in making baseball as instinctive as, well, a down-and-out pattern. Extra time in the batting cage made him a more selective hitter, as he turned his nose up at curveballs he used to fish for. He increased his walk total from 31 in 2001 to 64 and set career highs in several categories while continuing to play a sterling center field. "One of the most improved players I've seen," Greenville manager Brian Snitker said. "He's not a football player any more." -
Freeman's first full pro season was full of lessons and strikeouts, but the five-tool potential more than survived. Freeman learned with patience and enthusiasm; this is a guy who tracks down nearly every batting practice fly ball within reach. Offspeed pitches bothered Freeman early, but he began hitting them and hitting them hard in the second half. A former blue-chip wide receiver who picked the Rockies over Texas A&M, Freeman has the speed to steal more bases at higher levels. Freeman's mistakes on offense and defense are usually because he's too excited. "He struck out quite a bit this season but he's going to be a guy who in the major leagues strikes out maybe 50 times in a season," Eppard said.
