Ryan Freel

The sports world was tasked with trying to learn from another tragedy on Saturday when former Cincinnati Reds utility man Ryan Freel was found dead in his apartment. 

Jennifer Kay of the Associated Press (via Yahoo! Sports) reported, “Freel, who was 36, died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted shotgun wound.”

The Major League Baseball world was dealt a sad blow Saturday night with the death of former Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ryan Freel.

Firstcoastnews.com reporter Chad Cushnir had the report:

Ryan Freel, who played nearly 600 MLB games, recently signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Independent Atlantic League.

Freel put together a career .268 average with over 500 hits and 140 stolen bases in eight MLB seasons.

Freel’s most productive years came in the mid ’90s with the Cincinnati Reds.