Jake Fraley

Jake Arnold Fraley

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 195 lb.
• School Louisiana State University
• High School Caravel Academy
• Debut August 21, 2019

• Born May 25, 1995 in Frederick, MD USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Jake Fraley was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 amateur draft by the Tampa Bay Rays out of Louisiana State University. He began his career that season with the Hudson Valley Renegades, hitting .238 with 1 homer and 18 RBIs in 55 games. In 2017, injuries limited him to 30 games, mostly with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the Florida State League, where he hit .170. After hitting a solid .361 with 13 homers in 40 games for the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League (he led the league in runs, hits and steals) after the season, he was back with Charlotte in 2018. He had a solid season, hitting .347/.415/.547 in 60 games. Following the season, on November 8th, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners along with major league OF Mallex Smith in return for C Mike Zunino and OF Guillermo Heredia.

Fraley made his major league debut with the Mariners late in the 2019 season, when he appeared in 12 games, hitting .150. He had another cup of coffee during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, hitting .154 in 7 games. He finally got a more extended look in 2021, when he made it into 78 games and hit .210 with 9 homers and 36 RBIs. In spite of the low batting average - a common thing on the Mariners that season - he had an OPS+ of 104 thanks to his power and his ability to draw walks - 46 in 265 plate appearances.

On March 14, 2022, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds along with Ps Justin Dunn and Brandon Williamson and a player to be named later (P Connor Phillips) in return for 3B Eugenio Suarez and OF Jesse Winker. He played for the Reds until the 2025 season, including two seasons in which he appeared in over 100 games in 2023 and 2024. He put up good numbers in part-time action in 2022, hitting .259 with 12 homers in 68 games for an OPS+ of 121. He followed that with a productive year in 2023 when he hit .256 with 15 homers and 75 RBIs in 111 games, good for an OPS+ of 107. He was used at both corner outfield spots and as a DH that year, then was the team's regular right fielder in 2024. His hitting declined that season, even if he batted .277 in 116 games: both his OPB and and slugging percentage were down compared to his first two seasons in Cincinnati as his OPS+ fell to 95.

He had lost his starting job with the Reds by 2025, when he hit .232 in 67 games. By then, the Reds were postseason contenders, and he no longer fit in their plans, being paced on waivers in mid-August. The Atlanta Braves claimed him on August 19th and he appeared in 9 games for them the rest of the way, going 7 for 23 (.304). He was placed on waivers again in early November, was claimed by his original organization Tampa Bay, who then had him designated for assignment in order to avoid salary arbitration, making him a free agent. Tampa then re-signed him to a one-year contract on November 25th. That did not guarantee that he would be playing for them in 2026, however, as the Rays had a crowded outfield and he would have to earn any playing time.

Notable Achievements

• Adam Berry: "Rays seal reunion with Fraley, who joins crowded OF on 1-year deal", mlb.com, November 25, 2025. [1]

Related Sites

• Jake Fraley on mlb.com
• BR Minors page