David Freitas

{{Infobox MLB player

|name=David Freitas

|image=David Freitas (48116628932) (cropped).jpg

|caption=Freitas with the San Antonio Missions in 2019

|team=Free agent

|number=

|position=Catcher

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1989|3|18}}

|birth_place=Wilton, California, U.S.

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|debutdate=August 30

|debutyear=2017

|debutteam=Atlanta Braves

|debutleague=MLB

|debut2league=KBO

|debut2date=April 3

|debut2year=2021

|debut2team=Kiwoom Heroes

| statyear = 2019 Season

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .200

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 1

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 8

| stat2year = 2021 season

| stat2league = KBO

| stat21label = Batting average

| stat21value = .259

| stat22label = Home runs

| stat22value = 2

| stat23label = Runs batted in

| stat23value = 14

|teams=

Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|2017}})
Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2018}}–{{mlby|2019}})
Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|2019}})
Kiwoom Heroes ({{baseball year|2021}})

}}

David Joseph Freitas (born March 18, 1989) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners, and Milwaukee Brewers, and in the KBO League for the Kiwoom Heroes.

Career

=Early career=

Freitas was born in Wilton, California. He attended Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, California, and then Cosumnes River College, where he played college baseball for two years, earning All-American honors. He then transferred to the University of Hawaii, where he continued his college baseball career with the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.{{cite web|url=http://www.csnbayarea.com/as/who-david-freitas |title=Who is David Freitas? |publisher=CSN Bay Area |date=August 4, 2012 |access-date=August 23, 2013}}

=Washington Nationals=

The Washington Nationals selected Freitas in the 15th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. Playing for the Hagerstown Suns of the Single–A South Atlantic League in 2011, he started in the All-Star game.{{cite web|url=http://www.egcitizen.com/articles/2011/07/05/sports/doc4e13a0384bd7a368909505.txt |title=Q&A: David Freitas |work=Elk Grove Citizen |date=July 5, 2011 |access-date=August 23, 2013}} Freitas began the 2012 season with the Potomac Nationals of the High–A Carolina League.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=freita001dav|title=David Freitas Minor, Fall & Korean League Statistics|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=September 24, 2023}}

=Oakland Athletics=

On August 3, 2012, the Nationals traded Freitas to the Athletics for Kurt Suzuki.{{cite press release |url=http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120803&content_id=36050964&vkey=pr_was&c_id=was |title=Nationals acquire catcher Kurt Suzuki from Athletics |work=MLB.com |access-date=August 30, 2017 |date=August 3, 2012 |archive-date=October 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016132343/http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120803&content_id=36050964&vkey=pr_was&c_id=was |url-status=dead }} He split the 2013 season between the Midland RockHounds of the Double–A Texas League and the Sacramento River Cats of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League (PCL), hitting a cumulative .231/.306/.368 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI over 90 games.{{cite web|url=http://www.egcitizen.com/sports/elk-grove-s-freitas-back-home-with-river-cats/article_e51efad7-3638-5557-9ade-50ad5f3c1aa3.html |title=Elk Grove's Freitas back home with River Cats | Sports |publisher=egcitizen.com |date=August 15, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2017}}

=Baltimore Orioles=

The Athletics traded Freitas to the Baltimore Orioles on December 12, 2013, as the player to be named later in trade that also sent Jemile Weeks to the Orioles for Jim Johnson.{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Connolly |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2013/12/12/orioles-acquire-minor-league-catcher-david-freitas-to-complete-jim-johnson-trade/ |title=Orioles acquire minor league catcher David Freitas to complete Jim Johnson trade |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 12, 2013 |access-date=December 14, 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Kruth|first1=Cash|title=O's complete Weeks deal, get Minor League catcher|url=http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/64642798/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211094205/http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/64642798/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 11, 2015|access-date=April 14, 2015|publisher=Major League Baseball|date=December 12, 2013}}

Freitas played for the Bowie Baysox of the Double–A Eastern League and Norfolk Tides of the Triple–A International League in 2014, hitting a combined .263/.350/.421 with six home runs and 29 RBI over 61 games. He returned to Bowie and Norfolk in 2015, hitting .241/.299/.387 with eight home runs and 33 RBI across 75 total contests.{{Cite web|title=David Freitas - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/david-freitas/10619/stats?position=C|access-date=July 19, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}

=Chicago Cubs=

On December 10, 2015, the Chicago Cubs selected Freitas in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-expect-to-lose-player-20151209-story.html|title=Cubs suffer no losses in Rule 5 draft, lose Edgar Olmos to Baltimore on waiver claim|first=Mark|last=Gonzales|website=Chicago Tribune|access-date=November 19, 2016}} Freitas began the 2016 season with the Tennessee Smokies of the Double–A Southern League.{{cite web|url=http://archive.knoxnews.com/sports/local/david-freitas-hopes-he-has-a-home-in-cubs-organization--33748af1-eb2e-4dc3-e053-0100007f1891-380439441.html |title=David Freitas hopes he has a home in Cubs' organization |publisher=Archive.knoxnews.com |date=May 22, 2016 |access-date=August 30, 2017}} He was later promoted to the Iowa Cubs of the PCL.{{cite web|url=http://www.egcitizen.com/sports/knocking-on-the-door-of-major-league-baseball/article_d68ecbf7-5f85-572f-8928-e98964fe8650.html |title=Knocking on the door of Major League Baseball | Sports |publisher=egcitizen.com |date=July 1, 2016 |access-date=November 3, 2017}} In 91 total appearances, Freitas slashed .295/.349/.437 with six home runs and 53 RBI. He elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2016.{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2016|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2016/|access-date=August 2, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 8, 2016 |language=en}}

=Atlanta Braves=

On November 11, 2016, Freitas signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/minor-league-transactions-nov-12-18/#Cdo3LoKr4XPZbC2h.97|title=Minor League Transactions: Nov 12-18|last=Eddy|first=Matt|publisher=baseballamerica.com|date=November 21, 2016|access-date=November 21, 2016}} He played for the Gwinnett Braves of the International League. The Braves promoted Freitas to the major leagues on August 30, 2017, and he made his major league debut in the second game of a double header against the Philadelphia Phillies that same day.{{cite web |url=http://khon2.com/2017/08/29/former-bows-catcher-david-freitas-called-up-by-the-atlanta-braves/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831000424/http://khon2.com/2017/08/29/former-bows-catcher-david-freitas-called-up-by-the-atlanta-braves/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 31, 2017 |title=Former 'Bows Catcher David Freitas called up by the Atlanta Braves |publisher=KHON2 |access-date=August 30, 2017 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/catcher-freitas-gets-1st-call-majors-with-braves/62ajM36KOGl68rGCA4TppL/ |title=David Freitas finally gets first call to majors with Braves |work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=August 30, 2017|access-date=August 30, 2017}} Freitas got his first major league hit, a double in his second at-bat.{{fact|date=September 2023}}

=Seattle Mariners=

On October 27, 2017, the Seattle Mariners claimed Freitas off of waivers.{{cite web|last=Roberts |first=Quinn |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mariners-add-david-freitas-rob-whalen-c259832812 |title=Mariners add David Freitas, Rob Whalen | MLB.com |publisher=MLB.com |date=January 20, 2016 |access-date=November 3, 2017}} In 2018 for Seattle, Freitas batted .215 in 36 big league games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/04/brewers-acquire-david-freitas-from-mariners.html|title=Brewers Acquire David Freitas from Mariners|date=April 14, 2019 }} Freitas began the 2019 season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, and registered only four hitless plate appearances for the Mariners.

=Milwaukee Brewers=

On April 14, 2019, the Mariners traded Freitas to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Sal Biasi.{{Cite web|url=https://sodomojo.com/2019/04/14/seattle-mariners-trade-david-freitas-milwaukee-brewers/|title=Seattle Mariners trade David Freitas to Milwaukee Brewers|date=April 14, 2019}} The Brewers assigned Freitas to the San Antonio Missions of the PCL. Splitting the season with the Tacoma Rainiers and San Antonio, Freitas won the Pacific Coast League batting title with a .387 average as part of a torrid .387 in 91 games in the PCL. He also appeared in 16 major league games for Milwaukee, notching one hit in 13 at-bats.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brewcrewball.com/2019/9/4/20849196/milwaukee-brewers-david-freitas-what-to-expect|title=What to expect from David Freitas|date=September 4, 2019}}

=Kiwoom Heroes=

On February 5, 2021, Freitas signed a one-year, $600,000 deal with the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO League.{{cite web|url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210205011600315|title=KBO's Heroes sign ex-MLB hitter David Freitas

|website=Yonhap News Agency|access-date=February 6, 2021|date=February 5, 2021}} Freitas played in 43 games for Kiwoom, slashing .259/.297/.374 with two home runs and 14 RBI{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/06/justin-smoak-returns-united-states-japan-npb.html|title = Justin Smoak Returns from NPB| date=June 24, 2021 }}

=Tampa Bay Rays=

On July 24, 2021, Freitas signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.[https://www.mlb.com/player/david-freitas-571679 David Freitas Stats, Highlights, Bio | MLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Major League Baseball]

Freitas spent the 2021 season with the Triple-A Durham Bulls. He played in 16 games, hitting .245 with three RBI's. Freitas became a free agent following the season.

=New York Yankees=

On December 23, 2021, Freitas signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/12/yankees-david-freitas-agree-to-minor-league-deal.html|title=Yankees, David Freitas Agree To Minor League Deal|access-date=December 24, 2021|website=MLB Trade Rumors|date=December 23, 2021 }} He played for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders{{cite web | url=https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/sports/railriders/louisville-ends-railriders-home-streak-bird-freitas-released/article_110a846b-fc2a-5735-b3eb-b4b534a48254.html | title=Louisville ends RailRiders' home streak; Bird, Freitas released | date=July 14, 2022 }}

=Los Angeles Dodgers=

On January 5, 2023, Freitas signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.{{Cite web|title=Dodgers' David Freitas: Joins Dodgers on MiLB deal|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/dodgers-david-freitas-joins-dodgers-on-milb-deal/amp/|access-date=2023-01-05|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He played in 29 games for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, batting .295 with five homers and 26 RBI. Freitas elected free agency following the season on November 6.{{Cite web|title=2023 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2023-milb-free-agents/|access-date=May 17, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 8, 2023 |language=en}}

Personal life

Freitas grew up a fan of the Athletics. David married his college sweetheart Kacee Freitas in 2013. They have two sons and reside in Wilton, California.{{cite news|authorlink=Susan Slusser|first=Susan|last=Slusser |url=http://www.sfgate.com/athletics/article/A-s-catcher-David-Freitas-progressing-4314912.php |title=A's catcher David Freitas progressing |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=February 27, 2013 |access-date=August 23, 2013}}