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by rusty2
By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Guardians No. 6 prospect Tyler Freeman has joined the team and will make his major league debut Tuesday against the Diamondbacks. Cleveland promoted the 23-year-old infielder from Triple-A Columbus and optioned utility infielder Ernie Clement to the Clippers prior to the series finale against Arizona.
Freeman will become the 12th Guardians player to make his big league debut in 2022, having spent the entire 2022 season at Columbus. He batted .279 (83-for-297) with seven doubles, six home runs, 44 RBI and 51 runs scored after beginning his season on April 29. Freeman spent the early part of April in Arizona rehabbing from left shoulder surgery in the offseason.
Since July 15, Freeman is hitting .438 (21-for-48) with a pair of home runs, seven RBI and 11 runs over 12 games and reached base safely in 15 straight games. Since April 29th he is tied for fourth in the International League in hits and sixth in runs.
Freeman has started 33 games at second base, 35 at shortstop, three games at starts at third and and one at designated hitter. He was the club’s second round compensation round B selection in the 2017 MLB Draft, 71st overall, and is currently ranked the 84th-overall prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline.
Clement, 26, batted .203 in 58 games with three doubles and six RBI in 143 at-bats. He appeared defensively at four different positions, including 15 starts at third base, and pitched in relief on two separate occasions.