Report: Ryan Freel Had CTE When He Killed Himself

Nearly a year ago, former MLB player Ryan Freel committed suicide. The history of his concussions surfaced in the aftermath, and a report released earlier this week concluded that Freel was suffering from Stage II chronic traumatic encephalopathy

The Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy released its findings on Freel's brain tissue last Wednesday, finding that the concussions Freel suffered in his baseball career had a lasting effect on his brain. Freel is now the first baseball player to be diagnosed with CTE.

With the MLB banning home-plate collisions, physical contact in baseball has decreased even further, but that doesn't mean concussions aren't a possibility. Freel had complained about the Orioles' handling of one of his concussions, and casually talked about his head injuries a few times. The report on Freel should serve as a reminder that although MLB players don't get their bells rung quite as often as NFL players, it still happens, and no case should be taken lightly.

[ Florida Times-Union]

Photo: Jim Prisching/AP