Mike Ryan

MIKE RYAN
CORNER OUTFIELDER
Born: July 6, 1977
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 182
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Signed: Drafted, 1996 (Minnesota)
How Acquired: Free Agent
High School: Indiana (PA) HS
Agent: N/A

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

Ryan was a power-hitting outfield prospect at a time when the Twins always seemed to be loaded with them.  He was originally a third baseman, but he struggled defensively there and the Twins moved him to second, then the outfield.  He was decent enough defensively to play occasionally in center.  After peaking with the bat in 2002, Ryan hit erratically and never got established in the majors.

1996
R:  197/260/274, 157 AB, 8 2B, 2 3B, 13 BB, 20 K, 3-3 SB

Struggled in rookie league debut after being drafted out of high school.  He was a third baseman at this point.

1997
R+:  300/404/386, 220 AB, 10 2B, 3 HR, 38 BB, 39 K, 2-4 SB

Ryan showed a lot of improvement in the advanced rookie Appalachian League, with a very high walk rate.  He had an alarming 28 errors in just 56 games at third.

1998
A:  318/381/471, 412 AB, 24 2B, 6 3B, 9 HR, 44 BB, 92 K, 7-11 SB

Started showing some power in full season debut while still playing third.

1999
A+:  274/356/393, 507 AB, 26 2B, 5 3B, 8 HR, 63 BB, 60 K, 3-7 SB

Ryan’s hitting dropped off in the Florida State League, but he did walk more than he struck out.  The Twins moved him to second, where he had 35 errors.  Minor league infielders often have high error totals, but that’s extraordinarily high for second.

2000
AA:  277/323/426, 481 AB, 23 2B, 8 3B, 11 HR, 34 BB, 79 K, 4-7 SB
AAA:  222/417/222, 12 AB, 3 BB, 2 K

Ryan’s hitting picked up a little in AA, but his walk rate fell off to about half the previous year’s.  The Twins moved him to the outfield.

2001
AAA:  288/353/486, 527 AB, 36 2B, 7 3B, 18 HR, 52 BB, 121 K, 1-7 SB

Ryan had a breakout year, although it did come in the hitting-happy PCL.  He did not, however, get a callup.  The Twins in those days always seemed to be loaded with young outfielders; on the bench that year they had Dustan Mohr and Bobby Kielty, and they had John Barnes in AAA and Mike Cuddyer (still a thirdbaseman at the time) in AA.

2002
AAA:  261/330/522, 540 AB, 36 2B, 6 3B, 31 HR, 55 BB, 124 K, 4-9 SB
MLB:  091/091/091, 11 AB, 2 K

Ryan had a big power season in AAA and finally got a brief September callup.

2003
AAA:  225/289/404, 408 AB, 20 2B, 4 3B, 15 HR, 38 BB, 89 K, 6-7 SB
MLB:  393/441/754, 61 AB, 7 2B, 5 HR, 6 BB, 12 K, 2-3 SB

Ryan went back to AAA and fell off badly, maybe in part because the Twins switched their affiliate to the International League.  He didn’t get called up until mid-August, although ironically he pounded the ball in his brief major league trial.

2004
AAA:  211/281/366, 175 AB, 7 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 16 BB, 38 K, 3-7 SB
MLB:  239/280/296, 71 AB, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 BB, 16 K, 1-2 SB

Ryan struggled even more in AAA and didn’t hit in another brief trial with the Twins.  He also missed part of the season due to a shoulder injury that may have affected his hitting.

2005
AAA:  283/343/461, 152 AB, 7 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 15 BB, 34 K, 0-3 SB
MLB:  231/283/325, 117 AB, 5 2B, 2 HR, 9 BB, 22 K, 1-3 SB

Ryan bounced back in AAA and got a more extended stay with the Twins, but didn’t hit in the majors.

2006
AAA:  242/302/347, 363 AB, 18 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 30 BB, 75 K, 2-5 SB

Ryan moved on to Atlanta and struggled in AAA.

2007
AAA:  259/309/472, 379 AB, 21 2B, 6 3B, 16 HR, 29 BB, 89 K, 0-3 SB

The Pirates brought Ryan to training camp and considered him for a bench spot, but he ended up spending the year in AAA.  His power returned, but his plate discipline didn’t.

2008
AAA (Fla):  321/359/670, 109 AB, 7 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 7 BB, 26 K, 1-1 SB
IND:  282/392/563, 238 AB, 20 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 44 BB, 35 K, 0-1 SB

Ryan went to independent ball and hit very well, then signed with Florida late in the season.

2009
AAA:  300/375/482, 367 AB, 25 2B, 14 HR, 47 BB, 67 K, 2-3 SB

Ryan stayed with Florida and had a good year in AAA, but didn’t get a callup.

2010
AAA:  277/324/414, 307 AB, 22 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 24 BB, 46 K, 2-2 SB
MLB:  205/220/308, 39 AB, 4 2B, 1 BB, 5 K

Ryan moved on to the Angels and had a mediocre season in AAA, but got a brief callup in May due to some injuries.

2011
Did not play

Ryan was one of a handful of minor league veterans the Pirates signed in November 2011 as player/coaches.  He’s unlikely to see the field except in the event of a rash of injuries.

STATS
Baseball Reference–Majors
Baseball Reference–Minors
Fangraphs
MLB.com
MiLB.com
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2012: Minor league contract
2005: $321,000
2004:
$305,000
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 1996
MLB Debut: 9/20/2002
MiLB FA Eligible: Eligible
MLB FA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible
Added to 40-Man: September 17, 2002
Options Remaining: 0 (USED: 2003, 2004, 2005)
MLB Service Time: N/A
TRANSACTIONS
June 4, 1996: Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 5th round, 127th overall pick; signed on June 7.
September 17, 2002: Contract purchased by the Minnesota Twins.
October 4, 2005: Outrighted to AAA by the Minnesota Twins; became a free agent on October 15.
January 10, 2006:
Signed as a minor league free agent with the Atlanta Braves.
October 15, 2006: Became a free agent.
October 31, 2006: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
October 29, 2007: Became a free agent.
July 24, 2008: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Florida Marlins.
November 9, 2009: Became a free agent.
February 3, 2010: Signed as a minoir league free agent with the Los Angeles Angels.
August 22, 2010: Purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the New York Mets.
November 1, 2010: Became a free agent.
December 3, 2010: Signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
May 7, 2010: Contract purchased by the Los Angeles Angels.
June 17, 2010: Designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels.
October 6, 2010: Became a free agent.
November 9, 2011: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.