Dom Freeberger UDFA Signing

[sportsfan8703]

1 hour ago, Roll Tide said:

Converted Position Player Signed as a Free Agent to Pitch…..Stuff looks great

 

 

I think it’s pretty cool for these guys to get signed off of these videos that they put together. It’s not 100% because of the video, but gets there foot in the door. Congrats to this dude. 

[Roll Tide]

2 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I think it’s pretty cool for these guys to get signed off of these videos that they put together. It’s not 100% because of the video, but gets there foot in the door. Congrats to this dude. 

If they hit on a undrafted guy here and there it’s a big homerun. Hard to believe he didn’t get drafted.

[sportsfan8703]

1 minute ago, Roll Tide said:

If they hit on a undrafted guy here and there it’s a big homerun. Hard to believe he didn’t get drafted.

I started watching some of the Momentum channel first for comedy, but then that got into my algorithm on YouTube, and IG, and started showing more of these indoor mound sessions from guys trying to get noticed. It’s good that these are around that players don’t have to have some chance encounter that a scout sees them. 

[Tony-OH]

15 hours ago, Roll Tide said:

@Tony-OH I’m interested if you guys are aware and thoughts. @Frobby @RZNJ @wildcard
@Greg Pappas

Never heard of him until I saw the tweet. He'll pitch at 24-years old this season and has limited experience pitching. But, looking at the video clips, he can touch 96-97 mph and obviously has Jordie Henry as a fan so that can't hurt.

Nothing wrong with taking a look, but he has pitched for awhile ineffectively. The offspeed stuff was not very good despite the "Nice" comments in the videos, but hey, why not take a look? 

I always wonder though, guys with arms like this who obviously are not going to make it as a hitter, why are they not focusing on pitching earlier? Just looking at his stats at UNC Asheville and then his COVID senior year at Connecticut University, he seems to be a guy who hits for average, doesn't strike out much, but doesn't have any real power or speed. 

If he could hit mid 90s, makes me wonder why he did not focus on pitching earlier in his college career? He's similar to Jack Maruskin who the Orioles signed after his draft league performance reportedly for $100K. They both have good arms but limited pitching experience but neither were ever going pro as position players.

I guess if I knew I could throw in the mid-90s or higher, and knew my hitting did not translate to professional prospect, I'd invest in driveline or something similar to see if I could be a pitcher. 

The problem is making that full-time conversion at 23-year old makes it an up hill battle. 

Either way, I'm interested in following both him and Maruskin next season to see if the Orioles can develop these kinds of guys. 

 

 

[Tony-OH]

15 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Sure, we got a few of them now.  Pretty sure Kade Strowd touches 97-98.  You say, Kade Strowd?  Exactly.  97 is the starter kit.  We’ll see what else he’s got later on.

And that's just the reality of the situation. Wandison Charles and Ofreidy Gómez can sit 98-100 MPH, but a lack of control and consistent offspeed stuff have doomed them once they hit the AAA level.

[Frobby]

He sounds like a @Luke-OHkind of guy. 

[Just Regular]

16 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I think it’s pretty cool for these guys to get signed off of these videos that they put together. It’s not 100% because of the video, but gets there foot in the door. Congrats to this dude. 

A few years back I heard a podcast guest talking about an app they had helped develop where any kid (or kid's family) can upload some basic pitch data in case they are in Idaho or India or something.     I figure the Sigbots like watching the data roll in so guys like Mike Elias don't always need to cut their teeth at the Motel 6.

We live in Jacob deGrom's world and he didn't pitch regularly for the team until his last college year, so who knows if there can be long term benefits to keeping your arm pristine until you are more of an adult?

I do think MLB talent is so elite that if all pitchers Bruce Zimmermann and up vanished from the Earth, players like Oneil Cruz or Aaron Hicks when he was younger would be the next season's best pitchers more so than AA roster filler guys.     It will be fun to have another hometown underdog in case Zimmermann runs out of options and ends up on the White Sox or something.

[btdart20]

On 1/9/2024 at 6:57 PM, sportsfan8703 said:

I think it’s pretty cool for these guys to get signed off of these videos that they put together. It’s not 100% because of the video, but gets there foot in the door. Congrats to this dude. 

The guy who posted (Jordie) the video is part of the Oriole org.  He also runs (ran?) a pitching clinic.  He might be a pitching consultant.