Ryan Dittfurth

Ryan Wade Dittfurth

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 6", Weight 200 lb.

• High School Union High School

• Born October 18, 1979 in Fort Worth, TX USA

BR Minors page

Ryan Dittfurth peaked at AA.

Dittfurth was picked by the Texas Rangers in the 5th round of the 1998 amateur draft, the second hurler they chose that year after Barry Zito. Ryan debuted with the GCL Rangers and was excellent at 3-2, 1.34. Had he qualified, he would have led the Gulf Coast League in ERA. In 1999, the big right-hander was 7-2 with a 2.60 ERA for the Pulaski Rangers with 85 strikeouts in 83 innings and 66 hits allowed. He led the Appalachian League in innings and hit batsmen (15) while placing third in ERA behind Colby Lewis and Aaron Harang. Baseball America rated him as the loop's #6 prospect, right ahead of Carl Crawford. Lewis, Harang and Dittfurth pitched Pulaski to the league's best regular season record before they fell in the finals to the Martinsville Astros.

Ryan struggled somewhat with the 2000 Savannah Sand Gnats at 7-13, 4.25. He struck out 158 in 158 2/3 innings and held opponents to a .220 average but walked 99. He led Rangers farmhands in walks, losses and strikeouts. He paced the South Atlantic League in starts (29) and walks. Dittfurth was better with the 2001 Charlotte Rangers, going 9-6 with a 3.48 ERA. He was 8th in the Florida State League in ERA. Baseball America listed him as the FSL's 9th-best prospect and as #99 in baseball going into 2002.

Dittfurth did very well with Charlotte in 2002 (3-2, 2.45, 11 H in 25 2/3 IP) but struggled with the Tulsa Drillers (1-3, 5.66). He retired both batters he faced for the US in the 2002 Futures Game, their last pitcher in a 5-1 loss. He had shoulder surgery, missed all of 2003 and would never recover. Returning in 2004, the right-hander bombed with the Stockton Ports (21 R, 15 BB in 7 1/3 IP, 0-1) and the Frisco RoughRiders (7 R in 5 IP).

Let loose by Texas, Dittfurth moved to the independent leagues. He spent 2005 with the Windy City Thunderbolts (2-6, 5.57) and Elmira Pioneers (1-4, 7.57). In 2007, he was 9-5 with a save and a 3.73 ERA for the Sussex Skyhawks. He split 2008, his last season, between the Camden Riversharks (3-5, 5.24) and Lincoln Saltdogs (3-5, 5.36).