In the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves (MIL 4, ATL 3), outfield prospect Sal Frelick made an immediate impact in his MLB debut. In this game, the 2021 first-round draft pick went 3 for 3 at the plate, drove in the game-tying run with a single in the bottom of the sixth inning, and later delivered the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth. Additionally, Frelick made two impressive catches at the wall in the top of the sixth inning.
Frelick’s sensational performance makes him only the third player in Brewers history to record three hits in his MLB debut, alongside Sixto Lezcano in 1974 and Steve Bowling in 1976. Milwaukee quickly embraced the emergence of Sal as a new fan favorite:
In anticipation of Saturday’s game, Brewers manager Craig Counsell acknowledged the lack of productivity from the right field position and expressed hope that Sal would provide a boost to the team.
Sal Frelick, 23 years old, was selected as the 15th overall pick in the 2021 draft from Boston College. He missed a significant portion of the current season due to a thumb injury but still managed to hit .247/.333/.342 with two home runs, 19 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 40 Triple-A games before his call-up. The right fielders for Milwaukee carried a batting line of .183/.271/.275 and a combined minus-1.7 WAR before Frelick’s arrival, making it relatively easy for him to improve upon their performance.
Prior to the start of the season, CBS Sports ranked Frelick as the second-best prospect in the Milwaukee organization. This is what they had to say:
Frelick, the first-round pick for Milwaukee in 2021, is projected to make his MLB debut early in 2023. He is a speedy, contact-oriented hitter who exhibited better plate discipline by walking more than striking out in his 46 games at Triple-A last season. Although he is not physically imposing at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Frelick possesses some surprising power, although not to a significant extent. When he reaches the majors, Frelick may find himself as a left fielder alongside Garrett Mitchell, who made his debut last season, or the aforementioned Chourio.
However, Mitchell suffered a shoulder injury earlier this season, potentially ruling him out for the remainder of the year. As a result, the Brewers had to rely on a mix of veteran Christian Yelich, rookie Joey Wiemer, and a rotation of players that includes Blake Perkins, Tyrone Taylor, and Raimel Tapia. In order to create room for Frelick, Tapia was designated for assignment on Saturday.
Among the five outfielders, Yelich is the only one with an OPS+ above 100. On the other hand, Tapia, Perkins, and Taylor possess OPS+ below 75 as of Saturday. Frelick’s impressive debut will give him ample opportunities to secure a regular spot in the outfield. He provided a much-needed boost for the Brewers on Saturday.
Looking forward to his debut, Frelick expressed his excitement to showcase the player the Brewers drafted two years ago. He referred to himself as a sparkplug at the plate, someone who is scrappy and gives it his all.
