50 Facts About Max Fried

Early Life and High School Achievements

Max Fried's journey to becoming a top MLB pitcher began in Santa Monica, California. His early years were filled with sports and achievements.

1. Max Fried was born on January 18, 1994, in Santa Monica, California.
2. He is the middle son of Carrie and Jonathan Fried and is Jewish.
3. Fried attended the Reggie Smith Baseball Academy in Encino, California, where he learned to throw a curveball from retired outfielder Reggie Smith.
4. He attended Montclair College Preparatory School in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, where he played baseball, football, and basketball.
5. As a sophomore, he was 10–3 with a 1.81 ERA, earning the Olympic League MVP and a spot on the All-California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division V first team.
6. In his junior year at Montclair Prep, Fried was 7–3 with a 1.31 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 69 innings.
7. He also played outfield and batted .360 with four home runs and 30 RBIs.
8. This performance earned him the 2011 Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Male High School Athlete of the Year.
9. After Montclair Prep cut its baseball team, Fried transferred to Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles.
10. In his senior year at Harvard-Westlake, Fried was 8–2 with a 2.02 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 66 innings.
11. He was a 2012 Rawlings-Perfect Game 1st Team All-American.

Draft and Early Professional Career

Fried's talent was quickly recognized, leading to his selection in the MLB draft and the start of his professional career.

12. The San Diego Padres selected Fried in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft with the seventh overall pick.
13. Despite committing to UCLA, Fried chose to sign with the Padres for $3 million.
14. Fried made his professional debut for the Arizona League Padres in 2012.
15. He spent the entire season there, beginning his journey towards becoming a professional baseball player.
16. In 2014, Fried was ranked the Padres’ top pitching prospect and their No. 2 prospect overall by MLB.com.
17. However, his season was cut short due to injury, leading to Tommy John surgery on August 20, 2014.
18. On December 19, 2014, the Padres traded Fried to the Atlanta Braves.
19. He missed the entire 2015 season while recovering from surgery.
20. Fried began the 2017 season with the AA Mississippi Braves.
21. After one game, he joined the Gwinnett Stripers.
22. He was called up to the Atlanta Braves in April 2018.

Major League Debut and Rise to Prominence

Fried's major league debut marked the beginning of his rise to prominence as a key player for the Atlanta Braves.

23. Fried made his major league debut in 2017.
24. He pitched 33.2 innings for the Braves in the 2018 regular season, going 1–4 with 44 strikeouts and a 2.94 ERA.
25. Fried started the 2019 season in the bullpen but was later moved to the starting rotation.
26. In 2019, he was 17–6 with a 4.02 ERA and struck out 173 batters.
27. His 17 wins were second in the National League, and his .739 won-loss percentage was fifth in the league.
28. As a batter, Fried hit .273/.322/.327 in 2019.
29. His batting average and on-base percentage led all pitchers, while his slugging percentage ranked second.
30. He was good enough to be asked to pinch-hit four times.
31. On defense, Fried led the league in range factor/game as a pitcher (1.61).
32. He led in assists as a pitcher for the third consecutive season (37).
33. He led in Defensive Runs Saved for the third season in a row (6).
34. He tied for the major league lead in pickoffs (6) for the second consecutive season.

Awards and Achievements

Fried's exceptional skills have earned him numerous awards and recognition throughout his career.

35. In 2020, Fried won the NL Gold Glove Award at pitcher and the Fielding Bible Award at pitcher.
36. He repeated this achievement in 2021 and 2022.
37. In 2021, Fried won the Silver Slugger Award for pitchers.
38. He became the third pitcher in MLB history to win both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in the same year.
39. Fried was named to the All-MLB Team in both 2020 and 2021.
40. Fried played a crucial role in the Atlanta Braves' 2021 World Series victory.
41. He pitched six shut-out innings in the final game against the Houston Astros.
42. Through 2023, Fried had the best career win-loss percentage of all Braves pitchers, at .705.
43. As of 2024, Fried has a career record of 73 wins and 36 losses with a 3.07 ERA.
44. He has pitched 884.1 innings, struck out 863 batters, and allowed 783 hits.
45. Fried stands at 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 86 kilograms (189 pounds).
46. Fried graduated from high school and pursued his professional baseball career without attending college.
47. Fried is often nicknamed "Maximus" due to his dominant performance on the mound.
48. Throughout his career, Fried has worn the uniform numbers 61 and 54 for the Atlanta Braves.
49. In 2021, Fried's salary was $3.5 million.
50. His salary has increased over the years, reflecting his growing importance to the team.

Max Fried: A Pitching Powerhouse

Max Fried's journey from a young baseball enthusiast to a top-tier MLB pitcher is nothing short of inspiring. With a career marked by Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger Award, and a pivotal role in the Atlanta Braves' 2021 World Series victory, Fried has proven his mettle time and again. His impressive stats, including a career win-loss percentage of .705 and a 3.07 ERA, highlight his consistency and skill on the mound. Beyond his pitching prowess, Fried's batting and defensive abilities make him a well-rounded player. As he continues to shine for the Braves, fans can look forward to more stellar performances from this talented athlete. Max Fried's dedication, resilience, and talent ensure he'll remain a key figure in baseball for years to come.