TJ Friedl -- Performance Analysis
Performance Analysis sources for TJ Friedl of the Cincinnati Reds
TJ Friedl is a 29-year-old outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds who signed with the organization in 2016 as an undrafted free agent from the University of Nevada. Despite going overlooked in the draft, the Reds invested significantly in him with a $732,500 signing bonus, the largest ever given to an undrafted player at that time. Friedl represents one of three major league players to emerge from Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California, alongside Brandon Crawford.
Friedl's MLB career has shown significant volatility. After modest contributions in 2021-2022, he emerged as a productive player in 2023, posting a 3.8 WAR with a .279 average, .352 on-base percentage, and .467 slugging percentage across 138 games. He added 27 stolen bases that season, demonstrating both offensive and baserunning value. However, 2024 proved disappointing as he played only 85 games with declining offensive numbers (.226 BA, .310 OBP, .380 SLG), attributable largely to persistent hamstring issues that limited his availability and effectiveness.
Looking ahead, Steamer projects Friedl for 594 plate appearances in 2025 with a .249 average, .328 OBP, and .417 slugging percentage, expecting 19 home runs and 18 stolen bases. These projections represent a recovery scenario that assumes improved health but suggest he may not return to his 2023 peak performance levels.