Former Blue Jays utility player Ryan Freel. (QMI Agency file photo)
Former Toronto Blue Jays utility player Ryan Freel was found dead at his home in Jacksonville, Fla., Saturday. He was 36.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office told the Florida Times-Union that Freel's body was found with a self-inflicted shotgun wound at around 4 p.m. EST. There was nothing suspicious about his death and it is being treated as a suicide.
Freel was drafted by Toronto in the 10th round of the 1995 amateur draft. From 2001-2009 he played for five MLB clubs, including the Jays, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals. He retired from baseball in May of 2010.
Born in Jacksonville, Freel had a career batting average of .268 with 22 home runs, 122 RBI and 143 stolen bases in 594 major-league games.
