Kyle Freeland Bio
Kyle Richard Freeland (born May 14, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). A Denver native, he played college baseball at the University of Evansville before the Rockies selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut in 2017 and quickly became a fixture in the Colorado rotation.
Freeland is best known for his 2018 breakout, when he set a franchise single-season ERA record and finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting. He has served as the Rockies’ Opening Day starter multiple times and remains a central part of the team’s pitching staff.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Richard Freeland was born on May 14, 1993, in Denver, Colorado. He grew up in the city and attended Thomas Jefferson High School, where he lettered in baseball for three years. In his senior season in 2011, he set a state record with 145 strikeouts and was named an all-state player, finishing with an 8–2 record, a 1.39 ERA, and 17 walks in 65 innings. He also lettered in golf four years during high school.
Freeland came from a supportive family that nurtured his athletic development. His parents, Don and Susan Freeland, encouraged his early interest in baseball, and he has an older brother, Colin. The Denver area’s baseball culture and his high school experience provided the foundation for his future in the sport.
Path to Baseball
Following high school, the Philadelphia Phillies selected Freeland in the 35th round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He chose not to sign and instead attended the University of Evansville, where he played college baseball for the Evansville Purple Aces. As a freshman in 2012, he went 4–5 with a 4.55 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 91 innings, including two complete game shutouts. He posted a similar 4–8 record with a 4.34 ERA as a sophomore in 2013, when he also played in the Cape Cod League with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks and earned all-star honors.
Freeland’s junior year at Evansville established him as a top draft prospect. He went 10–2 with a 1.90 ERA and 128 strikeouts over 99 2/3 innings, earning first-team All-American recognition from Baseball America and Perfect Game. Considered a top prospect for the 2014 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies selected him with the eighth overall pick, beginning his professional career.
Kyle Freeland Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
Freeland began his professional career in the summer of 2014, debuting with the Grand Junction Rockies before a promotion to the Asheville Tourists. Across both clubs, he started five games for each team and posted a combined 3–0 record with a 1.15 ERA. His strong first impression reinforced his status as one of the organization’s top young arms.
In 2015, shoulder fatigue and surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow delayed his progress, and he did not start pitching until July. He made two starts for Grand Junction and advanced to the Modesto Nuts, finishing with a combined 4.05 ERA in seven starts. After the regular season, he started six games for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League. In 2016, Freeland split time between the Hartford Yard Goats and the Albuquerque Isotopes, posting an 11–10 record with a 3.89 ERA in 26 starts.
MLB Debut and Rookie Season (2017)
Freeland made his major league debut with the Rockies on April 7, 2017, against the Los Angeles Dodgers and earned his first MLB win. The start was historic, as he was the first pitcher in 51 years to make his MLB debut in his team’s home opener in the state where he was born. He also recorded his first major league hit, a single, and later hit his first home run off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo on May 21.
On July 9, 2017, Freeland took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox before allowing a one-out single to Melky Cabrera. He finished his rookie season with an 11–11 record and a 4.10 ERA in 156 innings, tying for the team lead in wins with fellow rookie Germán Márquez. Both received Rookie of the Year votes, with Freeland finishing seventh.
Breakthrough Season (2018)
Freeland had a career year in 2018, breaking Ubaldo Jimenez’s single-season franchise ERA record with a 2.84 mark and finishing 17–7 in 33 starts. He struggled early, going 0–3 with a 5.85 ERA in his first four starts, but rebounded to go 17–4 with a 2.52 ERA the rest of the way. Notably, Freeland excelled at the hitter-friendly Coors Field, setting the single-season Rockies record for home ERA at 2.40.
Across 202 1/3 innings, he struck out 173 batters against 70 walks and 182 hits, holding opponents to a .240 batting average. He recorded 24 quality starts, including 11 consecutive to close the season, and finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting. In his only postseason appearance, Freeland started the 2018 NL Wild Card Game and pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs, helping the Rockies win 2–1 in 13 innings. He became the first Rockies pitcher to throw a scoreless start in a postseason game.
Rockies Veteran Years (2019–2024)
Freeland followed his best season with one of his worst in 2019. He was the Rockies’ Opening Day starter but went 2–6 with a 7.13 ERA through 12 starts before a demotion to Triple-A. After returning in July, he went 1–5 with a 6.20 ERA in 10 starts, tying for the most losses on the team. He bounced back in the shortened 2020 season, going 2–3 with a 4.33 ERA in 13 starts while leading the NL with nine quality starts and inducing 15 double plays.
In 2021, a shoulder strain forced Freeland to begin the year on the injured list. He finished 7–8 with a 4.33 ERA in 23 starts, striking out 105 in 120 2/3 innings. On April 19, 2022, Freeland agreed to a five-year, $64.5 million contract extension with the Rockies, and he went 9–11 with a 4.63 ERA in 31 starts that year. In 2023, he led the Rockies rotation in several categories despite a 6–14 record and 5.03 ERA, and he represented the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, pitching six innings with five strikeouts in two appearances. He began 2024 as the Opening Day starter for the third time, struggled early, missed time with a left elbow strain, and returned to post a 5–5 record with a 3.96 ERA in his final 17 starts.
Notable Events and Milestones
Freeland’s 2018 campaign stands as the defining stretch of his career, highlighted by the franchise ERA record, a fourth-place Cy Young finish, and a scoreless postseason start in the NL Wild Card Game. His 2017 debut in his home state also marked a rare milestone, as he became the first pitcher in 51 years to start his team’s home opener in the state where he was born. He has also represented the United States on the international stage at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Kyle Freeland Career Wins
Across his major league career, Kyle Freeland has accumulated victories as a member of the Colorado Rockies, with his most successful stretch coming in 2017 and especially 2018. His 17 wins in 2018 remain a personal best and a franchise highlight.
MLB Highlights
Freeland’s first MLB win came in his debut on April 7, 2017, against the Los Angeles Dodgers. His single-season high of 17 wins came in 2018, when he also set the Rockies’ single-season ERA record. While he has not posted double-digit win totals since 2018, he has continued to log quality innings for Colorado, including a 2–3 record across 13 starts during the shortened 2020 campaign.
Other Performances
Freeland’s standout amateur and international showings include his 10–2 junior season at Evansville in 2014, his Cape Cod League all-star selection, and his two appearances for the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he struck out five batters in six innings.
Kyle Freeland Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kyle Richard Freeland was raised in Denver, Colorado, by his parents, Don and Susan Freeland. He has an older brother, Colin. The family supported his athletic pursuits from an early age, helping shape his path toward a professional baseball career.
Personal Life
Freeland married his wife, Ashley, in 2021. The couple resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. Beyond baseball, Freeland is an accomplished golfer, having lettered in the sport four years during his time at Thomas Jefferson High School.
2025 Season Performance
Kyle Freeland enters the 2025 season as a veteran anchor of the Colorado Rockies rotation, holding a five-year contract extension signed in April 2022 that runs through 2029. After a strong finish to 2024 in which he posted a 3.96 ERA across his final 17 starts following a left elbow injury, he looks to build on that momentum. His career-low walk rate of 5.3 percent in 2024 also suggested improved control heading into the new campaign.
The Rockies struggled as a team in 2024, finishing in last place, and much of the upcoming season’s outlook depends on the broader development of the rotation around Freeland. As a left-handed starter and one of the longest-tenured pitchers on the staff, he is expected to log heavy innings and potentially reprise his role as the team’s Opening Day starter. His track record of durability, including 31 starts in 2022 and 33 in 2018, positions him as a key piece for Colorado’s pitching staff.