Braves sign utilityman Tyler Freeman

The 27-year-old Tyler Freeman was a top-100 prospect in his day, a 2nd-round pick by Cleveland in 2017 who climbed the ranks before reaching the majors five years ago.

Then reality hit. Freeman has posted negative WAR in four of his five big-league seasons — and somehow, he’s still around. Not just around, either: he’s appeared in at least 79 games in each of the last three years for the Guardians and Rockies.

There are really only two reasons for that: defensive versatility and his ability to get on base. Freeman can play all over the diamond — even if he grades out poorly defensively — and while his .658 career OPS is ugly, he does carry a respectable .328 on-base percentage.

As Harding mentioned, Freeman also had a back procedure in October and won’t be ready to play until the end of March. That would normally wipe out his spring, but with a lockout looming, odds are he’s cleared to play by the time Spring Training actually happens.

If there’s one thing the Braves have done exceptionally well under Alex Anthopoulos, it’s find diamonds in the rough. Freeman has talent in there somewhere, and maybe Atlanta is the place he finally taps into it. He’ll be competing for one of the last roster spots — and no, this isn’t a sign the Braves are moving off Mauricio Dubon. It’s a depth move, nothing more, born out of just how few quality infielders are currently in the organization.