F/F SPOTLIGHT: Max Fried

You could say we've been high on Max Fried (LHP, ATL) lately. His story, as told in consecutive editions of the Baseball Forecaster:

BF 2019: "...With another year of growth vR... UP: 3.60 ERA, 180 K"

2019 season: 4.02 ERA (with the bouncy ball), 176 K.

BF 2020: "... Still, signs here of UP: 3.25 ERA, 200 K"

It's not often that we slap an "UP" on somebody, he more or less achieves it, and we push the envelope even further the following season. Are we just pressing our luck?

To get those answers, we'll start with the 26-year-old's trying path to the majors.

A checkered minor league history

Fried, a product of pitching powerhouse Harvard-Westlake HS (CA)*, entered the professional ranks with plenty of hype. The 7th overall pick by SD in...

Almost!

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