Ryan Casteel

Ryan Alexander Casteel
(Hammer)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 205 lb.
• School Cleveland State Community College
• High School Bradley Central High School

• Born June 6, 1991 in Chattanooga, TN USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Catcher Ryan Casteel began his professional career in 2010 and has played as high as AAA. He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 17th round of the 2010 amateur draft, three picks after pitcher Zach Neal. The scout was Scott Corman.

He batted .305/.342/.412 in 43 games with the Casper Ghosts his first year. In 2011, he hit .273/.354/.394 for the Tri-City Dust Devils. Making it to a full-season league with the '12 Asheville Tourists, he produced at a .279/.332/.414 clip while splitting catching duties with Will Swanner.

In 2013, he slugged 22 home runs with 76 RBI and 30 doubles for the Modesto Nuts. He tied Harold Riggins for 7th in the California League in homers was a California League Post-Season All-Star as the top catcher. He was third in the Rockies chain in dingers, two behind Kiel Roling and one shy of Kyle Parker. He also tied Rosell Herrera for 7th in RBI. With the Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League that winter, he hit .343/.405/.614 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI; combined, he hit .291 with 33 home runs, 112 RBI, 40 doubles and 90 runs scored in 153 games. He led the 2013-2014 ABL in average (.010 ahead of Brandon Tripp), slugging (.011 more than Tripp), OPS (19 better than Tripp) and home runs (one more than Tripp). He was second to Tripp in RBI (5 shy), 2nd with 102 total bases (3 behind Tripp) and 3rd in OBP (behind Jesse Barron and Jon Berti). He won the Helms Award as the league MVP.

With the Tulsa Drillers in 2014, he had 16 home runs and 56 RBI while his batting line read .280/.341/.445. He was a Texas League Mid-Season All-Star. He tied Taylor Featherston for 5th in the TL in dingers. With the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League during the offseason, he hit .258/.321/.355 with no home runs in 93 at-bats, giving him considerably less impressive combined stats of a .276 batting average with 16 home runs and 71 RBI in 138 games, though it came against tougher competition in a lower-offense league. He played just 42 games in 2015, but batted .306/.313/.425 (he walked only two times). He missed significant time with an injury to his quadriceps. In his first taste of Triple A that year, he batted .292/.301/.415 in 34 games with the Albuquerque Isotopes. He played for the Estrellas de Oriente over the winter.

Casteel began 2016 in the Rockies chain, but was released July 4 after struggling for the Isotopes (.230/.273/.368 in 43 G). The Seattle Mariners signed him on July 7.