Harrison Freed at the plate during a game this past season. Freed was selected in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. Collegian file photo.
CHRIS BROWN | SPORTS EDITOR | cbbrown@butler.edu
One day after Butler pitcher Ryan Pepiot was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft, Bulldogs outfielder Harrison Freed on June 5 was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 13th round with the 386th overall pick.
The Westfield, Indiana native just completed his junior season with Butler, hitting .376 with 73 RBI and a .448 on-base percentage while starting all of the team’s 52 games.
After hitting a combined six home runs the previous two seasons, Freed in 2019 slugged 17, a total which led the Big East. The First Team All-Big East selection also led the conference in RBI, total bases, and slugging percentage for the season.
The @SFGiants took Harrison Freed in the 13th Round of the @MLBDraft. Freed was the 386th overall pick. #ProDawg pic.twitter.com/0d45PBUD2k
— Butler Baseball (@ButlerUBaseball) June 5, 2019
Additionally, Freed tallied 82 hits in 2019, breaking the school single-season hit record.
“We are so happy for Harrison,” Butler head coach Dave Schrage said in a statement. “He had a tremendous season for us and is another example of a player that really developed in our program. His power took off this year and it will be exciting to see how it carries into pro ball.”
With the selections of Pepiot and Freed, the Butler baseball team has had two players drafted in the same year for the first time since 1998.
