Former baseball star Ryan Freel was suffering from the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he committed suicide last year, his family said.
ALERT: 5 Signs You’ll Get Alzheimer’s Disease
The Florida Times-Union reports that Freel, who had an eight-year career in the majors, suffered “nine or 10” concussions in his career. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Dec. 22, 2012.
Freel is the first pro baseball player to be diagnosed with CTE, which is more commonly associated with high-impact sports such as boxing, football, and hockey.
To read the Florida Times-Union article, click here.
© 2026 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.