Former Guardians utility player finds soft 2027 landing spot with Braves 

For parts of three seasons, Tyler Freeman served as a depth piece across a variety of positions for the Cleveland Guardians. Now he’s going to have an outside shot to do the same with one of the National League’s top contenders. 

Earlier today MLB.com’s Thomas Harding reported that Freeman signed a minor league contract with the Braves for 2027 with an invite to big league spring training (whenever that happens). 

Although Freeman had a rough showing with the Rockies in 2026 (which is why he had to settle for a minor league deal), Harding added that Freeman underwent back surgery last month and should be good to go for the spring. 

Former Guardian Tyler Freeman could become a fan favorite in Atlanta

That aforementioned back surgery could be the biggest reason why Freeman struggled so much, as he finished last season with a .247/.317/.314 slashline in 79 games before being outrighted off Colorado’s roster at the start of September. 

Normally that kind of production would make the Guardians’ March 2025 trade of Freeman to the Rockies a clear fleece, but it didn’t go great for Cleveland since Nolan Jones struggled in 2025 before being outrighted off Cleveland’s roster earlier this year. 

Freeman was always a fringe player on the periphery for the Guardians. He was able to do a lot of things, but he didn’t do any of them very well. Take the outfield, for example. He learned the outfield ahead of the 2024 season and ended up recording 97 appearances there in ‘24, but was worth -3 Outs Above Average there. 

The Guardians clearly saw a cap and decided to flip him to the Rockies, who kept putting him out in the outfield even when it was clear that he was a subpar defender there. 

And it would be one thing if he was good with the bat, but he finished his time with the Rockies with a .681 OPS in 189 games with them. 

But he’s going to get a chance to put that behind him with this new contract with the Braves. Although he has an upward climb to make Atlanta’s roster, his minor league contract means that he’ll be able to play in the minors regardless of how the lockout impacts the 2027 season. 

The Braves have always loved utility bench options, but Freeman’s part of a crowded picture that already includes Jim Jarvis and Brewer Hicklen on Atlanta’s 40-man roster. 

Freeman never managed to reach his potential with the Guardians, but this contract with the Braves could be the kind of deal that could help him become a fan favorite in Atlanta.

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