Christian Louis Friedrich¡attended Loyola Academy High School (IL), where he was selected by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association as a member of the 2005 "Cream of the Crop"¡set a school record by striking out 18 batters in a 7.0-inning regional final game in 2004¡played for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod League in summer of 2006, notching 52 strikeouts in only 37.0 innings¡attended Eastern Kentucky University (KY) and was rated as the second-best left-handed pitcher in the 2008 Draft by Baseball America¡was the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year in his junior season¡ranked second in the nation in ERA and hits allowed per 9.0 IP (4.41) and eighth in strikeouts per 9.0 innings (11.90) in 2008¡led the OVC in ERA, strikeouts (108) and opponents batting average (.144)¡was the first Eastern Kentucky University baseball player ever to be drafted in the first round¡is the all-time career strikeouts leader (327) at EKU¡as a freshman in 2006, he tossed the fifth no-hitter in school history¡originally signed by Rockies' scout Scott Corman.
2016
In his first campaign with the Padres set career highs in nearly every pitching category, including starts (23), innings (129.1), strikeouts (100) and ERA (4.80)...Signed with the Padres on 3/3 as a minor league free agent...Began the season on the seven-day DL with Triple-A El Paso and reinstated on 4/21…made two starts with Single-A Lake Elsinore on 4/21 and 4/26, posting a 2.00 ERA (2 ER, 9.0 IP) before being transferred to El Paso where he also made two starts...Had his contract purchased on 5/13 by the Padres, making his season debut that day with a start at MIL, working 6.0 innings of one-run ball with six walks and four strikeouts...Played the rest of the season with the Padres, working primarily in the rotation…one relief outing came on 8/30 at ATL...Over his first six starts with San Diego from 5/13 - 6/12 he went 3-1 with a 2.12 ERA (8 ER, 34.0 IP) and 31 strikeouts against 19 walks while holding opponents to a .233 (30-for-129) average...Over his next seven starts from 6/17 - 7/24 he went 1-5 with a 7.86 ERA (30 ER, 34.1 IP), with the Padres 2-5 in those starts...Over his final 10 starts of the year from 7/30 - 9/29 he went 1-6 with a 4.65 ERA (31 ER, 60.0 IP)...His 23 starts on the season led the Padres…San Diego went 8-15 overall in his starts...Tagged with the loss in eight-straight decisions over 11 starts from 6/29 - 9/4, posting a 6.14 ERA (40 ER, 58.2 IP) in that stretch, with the Padres 2-9 in those starts...In three starts against his former team, the Rockies, he went 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA (4 ER, 18.0 IP) and 24 strikeouts against six walks...Had arguably the best start of his career on 9/10 vs. COL, working 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out a career-high tying 10 batters, just his second 10-strikeout game and first since 5/14/12 for COL...Worked a season-high 7.0 innings four times on the year and 6.0-or-more innings 11 times, posting quality starts in eight of those outings.
2015
Spent the entire season with the Major League club, appearing in a career-high 68 games for Colorado, all in relief...In 34 games on the road he went 0-2 with a 4.81 ERA (13 ER, 24.1 IP), compared to 0-2 with a 5.56 ERA (21 ER, 34.0 IP) in 34 games at home...Posted a 1.10 ERA (2 ER, 16.1 IP) and a .233 opponents average in 20 appearances during the day compared to 0-4 with a 6.86 ERA (32 ER, 42.0 IP) and a .351 opponents average in 48 outings at night...Enjoyed his best month of the season in May when he posted a 2.25 ERA (3 ER, 12.0 IP) in 11 relief appearances...Made at least 10 relief appearances in each month of the season...Worked 2.0-or-more innings six times out of his 68 total outings...Finished his season by posting a 2.89 ERA (3 ER, 9.1 IP) over his final 17 outings of the year from 8/22 through the end of the season.
2014
Started three games for the Rockies with 16 overall appearances throughout the season...did not record a win, going 0-4 with a 5.92 ERA (24.1 IP, 16 ER)...made three starts with Colorado earlier in the year from June 21 - July 3 and went 0-3 with 9.45 ERA (13.1 IP, 14 ER) in those starts before converting to a reliever...Made his first Major League relief appearance on Aug. 27 at San Francisco and finished the season with 13 appearances from the pen...went 0-1 with a 1.64 ERA (11.0 IP, 2 ER), two walks and 13 strikeouts in those appearances with three holds...the opposition hit .111 (4-for-36, 3B) while he was a reliever....11 of his 13 games were scoreless, while nine of his 13 were hitless...When he wasn't with the Major League roster, he spent the rest of the year at Triple-A Colorado Springs, going 2-9 with a 7.00 ERA (91.1 IP, 71 ER)...in 14 relief appearances with the Sky Sox, Friedrich was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA (24.0 EP, 12 ER)...Picked up his first career (Major or Minor League) save in his first career relief appearance on July 7 at Round Rock for the Sky Sox...went 3.1 innings in relief (8 H, 3 ER, BB 4 SO)...Left-handers hit just .138 (4-for-29) against him during his 16 Major League appearances.
2013
Made four starts with the Sky Sox to begin the season before being placed on the disabled list for the rest of the season on 4/28 with back inflammation... Was the team's opening day starter and gave up two runs on one hit while striking out a season-high five batters... Recorded his first hit of the season on 4/21 against Las Vegas... Faced eight left-handed batters and did not allow a hit over his four starts.
2012
Friedrich made his Major League debut in 2012, being called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs on 5/9...Friedrich made
16-straight starts following his call up before a stress fracture in his lower back sidelined him for the remainder of the
season. Friedrich finished his first season in the Majors with a record of 5-8 and a 6.17 ERA (84.2 ip, 58 er), 30 walks and 74
strikeouts over 16 starts...he began his season going 4-1 with a 4.50 ERA (36.0 ip, 18 er), winning three-straight starts
at one point...following that stretch, Friedrich won just one of his final 10 games before a stress fracture in his lower
back placed him on the disabled list, where he finished the season. Friedrich struckout 74 batters in his first 16 career starts...he owned a 7.9 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched ratio (74 K,
84.2 IP)...he also owns a 2.47 strikeout to walk ratio (74 K, 30 BB)...despite missing a majority of the season, his 74
strikeouts were the fifth-most among all Rockies pitchers and 11th-most among all NL rookies. Friedrich has 74 strikeouts thru his first 16 career starts (84.2 ip)...in Rockies franchise history, that ranks third behind
only Jhoulys Chacin (88 K, 87.0 ip) and Shawn Chacon (84 K, 89.2 ip)...in his first two career starts he had 17 K, which
set a new Rox record for most strikeouts through a pitchers first two MLB games and represented the most for an active
MLB pitcher since Strasburg struck out 22 in his first two games in June of 2010...he is only the fourth left-hander in
Rox history to strikeout at least 10 in a game (De La Rosa-5x, Bohanon, Francis). Friedrich earned the win in his Major League debut 5/9 at SD after allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits, one walk
and seven strikeouts over 6.0 innings...Friedrich became the eighth starting pitcher in franchise history to earn a victory in his ML debut, and the 11th pitcher overall to earn a victory in his ML debut...he was the third Rox pitcher to win in
his MLB debut as a starter in the last two seasons, joining Pomeranz (9/11/11 vs. CIN) and Nicasio (5/28/11 vs. STL). In his MLB debut, 5/9 at SD, he earned the win while also stopping Colorado's five-game losing streak...over the last
10 seasons, only two other pitchers making their MLB debuts started and got the win after their team had lost at least
the five previous games: Baltimore's Brad Bergesen in 2009 and Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm in 2005.
2011
Spent his entire fourth professional season at Double-A Tulsa where he was a staple in the Drillers' rotation, making 25
starts, going 6-10 with a 5.00 ERA (133.1 ip, 74 er), 103 strikeouts, 43 walks and an opponent average of .286...The left-hander finished second on the Drillers in starts and strikeouts and third in innings pitched and wins...Was named to the Texas League Midseason All-Star team after going 5-5 with a 3.89 ERA (76.1 ip, 33 er), 22 walks
and 60 strikeouts in 14 first half starts for Tulsa...Struckout at least five batters in 10 of his 25 starts on the season...also had 11 starts of at least 6.0 innings
2010
Spent the entire season, also his first appearance, at Double-A Tulsa where he started 18 games before
spending the final three weeks on the disabled list...Began the season going 0-5, 5.59 (58.0 ip, 36 er) in 11 starts prior to the All-Star break, but turned it
around the second half and notched a 3-1 record with 3.99 ERA (29.1 ip, 13 er) in 7 starts...Set career highs in starts (18), innings (87.1) and tied his high for wins (3)...Named by Baseball America as the fourth-best prospect in the Rockies' system entering 2011 and also
as having the best curveball in the Rockies' organization.
2009
Split his second professional season between Asheville and Modesto...made 8 starts for the
Tourists, going 3-3 with a 2.18 ERA (45.1 ip, 11 er) with 66 strikeouts...was transfered to Modesto in the
end of May and made 14 starts for the Nuts...went 3-2 with a 2.54 ERA (74.1 ip, 21 er) and 93 strikeouts
with Modesto...his 159 combined strikeouts on the season were the 7th most in the Minor Leagues despite
making just 22 starts...his 11.96 so/9.0 ip ratio was the 2nd best among full season Minor League qualifiers...
his 2.41 ERA also qualified as the 12th best among full season minor leaguers...opponents hit just
.215 against him in 2009, also the 12th best mark among full season qualifiers...was rated the 2nd best
prospect in the California League following the season by Baseball America...also rated by Baseball
America as the Rockies 2nd best prospect, as well as having the best curveball in the Rockies system.
2008
The first round draft pick (25th overall) began the season with Tri-City before being transfered
to Asheville 8/19...after allowing 7 earned runs in first 2 starts allowed just 6 combined in his final 6 starts
(30.0 ip) for the Dust Devils...had a strikeout to walk ratio of 6.25 (50 so/8 bb)...struckout 8 or more in 5 of
his 8 starts for Tri-City...was named the 3rd best prospect in the Northwest League following the season
by Baseball America...rated by Baseball America as the Rockies 3rd best prospect, and top left-handed
pitcher, and as having the best curveball in the Colorado Minor League system...made 3 starts for Asheville
at the end of the season, going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA (12.0 ip, 10 er)...opponents hit .239 (45-for-188) off
him on the season.
