First, he was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, then a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist, an All-American, and Boston College baseball’s first winner of the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove. Once again, Sal Frelick has added to his growing list of accolades.
The versatile center fielder was drafted 15th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday night, making him just the sixth BC player taken in the first round. Though Frelick slipped below his projected draft spot in the latest Baseball America mock draft, he is the highest BC player drafted since Tony Sanchez went fourth overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Frelick, a local product out of Lexington, Mass., was a three-year standout for the Eagles. After being named to the All-ACC Second Team and ACC All-Freshman Team in his first year, Frelick’s draft stock rose over the past two seasons.
Frelick finished the 2021 season with 27 RBIs, 70 hits, and a .359 batting average.
He was instrumental in BC’s astounding comeback against Auburn when the Eagles erased an eight-run, ninth-inning deficit. Frelick drilled a fastball over the wall in right-center field to tie the game at nine apiece, setting up BC’s extra-innings comeback.
Where he most excelled was in the field. His highlight reel–worthy catches kept the Eagles competitive in a brutal ACC slate. When the Eagles were down 2-0 against Miami in early May, Frelick exploded off his back foot as he dashed toward the wall to secure the Eagles’ third out of the inning.
He made a similarly acrobatic catch in an April 27 victory over Holy Cross, as the center fielder sprinted across the middle of the field to make a diving grab in the top of the first inning.
Frelick’s freshman season put him on the map, as he started 38 of the Eagles’ 39 games. That year, he racked up a .367 batting average, 32 RBIs, 30 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases. In his standout debut against Jackson State, he went 3-for-4, driving in two with a home run and scoring once as well as stealing two bases.
After a standout debut year, Frelick’s sophomore year came to a quick halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he returned with guns blazing for the 2021 season. His departure will be a blow to the Eagles’ outfield, but even with the likes of Travis Honeyman, Chris Galland, and Cameron Leary making their way up the ranks, the Eagles will have big shoes to fill.
Featured Image Courtesy of BC Athletics
