Freddy Antonio Guzmán (born January 20, 1981) is a Major League Baseball center fielder who is currently a free agent.

[edit] Baseball career

Guzmán was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the San Diego Padres on April 17, 2000. In 2004 he led all minor leaguers in stolen bases, with 90.^[1]

He made his major league debut on August 17, 2004, going 1-5 with a walk. He got a hit in his first six games in the majors. He missed all of the 2005 season following Tommy John surgery. Guzman hit his first MLB home run on September 11, 2007, at Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers) off left-handed pitcher Clay Rapada. Guzmán is well-known in the minor leagues for his base running. He has had 443 stolen bases over 8 seasons.

He was ranked by Baseball America as the second-best prospect in the Padres organization in 2004. In 2007, he came to spring training to compete with Kenny Lofton, Marlon Byrd, and Jerry Hairston, Jr. for playing time in center field, but Guzmán did not make the opening day roster and played the entire season in Triple-A Oklahoma.

On December 5, 2007, Guzmán was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Chris Shelton. Just before the end of spring training, he was sent outright to the minors. He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners.

On May 11, 2009 Guzman was released by the Mariners. On May 16, 2009 he was signed by the Boston Red Sox and assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket. On July 29, 2009 he was released by the Red Sox. On August 7, 2009 Guzman signed a Minor League contract with the Baltimore Orioles.^[2] On August 31, 2009 the Orioles traded him to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later. On September 14, Guzmán was called up to the Yankees.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube