TJ Friedl’s run with the Cincinnati Reds has reached an unexpected stopping point.
After a rough 2026 season that included two trips to Triple-A, a waiver placement and a designation for assignment in September, the 31-year-old outfielder elected free agency on Tuesday, according to the team’s transaction log.
The year never really got on track for Friedl. He opened on Opening Day in his familiar leadoff role, but the bat went cold immediately.
He was 3-for-30 to start the season, spent April below .200, and his average topped out at just .203 on May 3 before the offense never found a real rhythm. The struggles weren’t limited to the plate, either.
His defensive numbers slipped as well, with sprint speed and arm strength both regressing.
That finish stands in stark contrast to the path Friedl took to become one of the Reds’ more unlikely success stories. He went undrafted in 2016 after teams incorrectly believed he was not eligible, even though he was. Cincinnati moved quickly once the mistake became clear, signing him for $732,500 - a record at the time for an undrafted player.
“I've been working the draft for 14 years, and this is the craziest thing I've ever seen," Friedl's agent Adam Karon told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. "It's so bizarre. Almost nobody knew this kid was eligible for the draft -- including himself."
From there, Friedl climbed into the organization’s top tier of prospects, reaching as high as No. 19 in 2021. He then delivered his best all-around season in 2023, a key year in the Reds’ rebuilding push, when he hit .279/.352/.467 with 18 home runs, 27 stolen bases, 22 doubles and eight triples.
But injuries began to chip away at that momentum. Friedl spent major time on the injured list in 2024 and 2025 because of hamstring and wrist issues. By the end of 2026, the relationship between Friedl and the Reds had run its course, with the club finishing last in the NL Central after missing the playoffs following a postseason berth in 2025.
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