Max Fried

Max Fried (born January 18, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB).

A native of Santa Monica, California, Fried attended Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood, where he excelled as a left-handed pitcher. He was selected by the San Diego Padres with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft. Traded to the Atlanta Braves organization in December 2014 as part of a deal for Justin Upton, Fried made his MLB debut with the Braves on August 8, 2017. Over eight seasons with Atlanta (2017–2024), he established himself as one of the league's premier starters, compiling a 73–36 record with a 3.04 ERA in 168 appearances.

Max Fried was born on January 18, 1994, in Santa Monica, California. He is the middle son of Carrie Fried and Jonathan Fried, with two brothers, and the family shares Jewish heritage. Raised in a Jewish household, Fried grew up fairly observant, attending synagogue services on High Holidays and celebrating his bar mitzvah.

The Fried family relocated to Encino, California, a suburb approximately 20 miles northwest of Dodger Stadium, where Max spent much of his childhood. From a young age, he developed a passion for baseball, often watching Los Angeles Dodgers games and idolizing Jewish players like outfielder Shawn Green and first baseman Eric Karros. His early exposure to the sport was influenced by his family's support, as both parents were actively involved in local youth athletics—Jonathan served as president of the Encino Little League, where Max and his brother Jake played.

Fried's initial youth baseball participation began in Little League, where he primarily played positions like outfield and first base while hitting, before transitioning to pitching. As a left-handed athlete, he honed his throwing skills through these early experiences, including representing Team USA at the 2009 Maccabiah Games in Israel at age 15, where his squad won gold. These formative years laid the groundwork for his left-handed pitching prowess, emphasizing fundamentals and enjoyment of the game in a supportive family environment.