Fansided

Each MLB team’s most surprising player from April

By Joshua Sadlock

Apr 3, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames (7) hits a double to drive in two runs in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames (7) hits a double to drive in two runs in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 29, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits a double to drive in a run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits a double to drive in a run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman

By this point of his career, Freddie Freeman has firmly established himself as an MLB All-Star. He is a career .290/.375/.491 hitter with 146 home runs and 527 RBI. The two-time All-Star is taking things to another level so far in 2017.

Freeman has started the year off hitting .381/.485/.798 with NINE home runs. He has finally begun unleashing the power in his 6-foot-5 frame. Freeman is pulling the ball at a career-high rate this year, and he has yet to hit an infield popup. There is some regression to the mean coming for Freeman, as his BABIP is close to .400 and he is hitting close to .300 on groundballs. Both of those averages are much higher than the MLB norms.

The Braves first baseman has been blistering pretty much every pitch type this season. He is batting .250 against fastballs, but has slugged .750 with four home runs against the heat. This hot start is a continuation from last season when Freeman posted a career-high slugging percentage of .569 and hit more than 30 home runs for the first time in his career. With more data available to hitters concerning their exit velocity, launch angle, and swing, this may be a sustainable start for Freeman.

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