Ryan Ketchner

Ryan Patrick Ketchner

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.
• High School John Leonard High School

• Born April 19, 1982 in Wellsville, NY USA

Minors BR page

Biographical Information

Despite being born partially deaf, pitcher Ryan Ketchner was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the tenth round of the 2000 amateur draft. He made his pro debut that summer, going 1-2 with a 4.21 ERA in 9 outings for the AZL Mariners. The next year, he went 3-3 with two saves and a 2.92 ERA in 20 appearances for the Everett Aqua Sox. He fanned 58 in 52 1/3 IP and allowed only a .198 batting average.

He began 2002 with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, going 3-6 with a save and a 2.59 ERA in 31 games, allowing a .189 opponent average, before making a late-season start for the AAA Tacoma Rainiers. Overall, he struck out 124 in 116 2/3 IP.

With the Inland Empire 66ers in 2003, he was 14-7 with a 3.45 ERA and earned a spot on the California League All-Star team. He struck out 159 to tie Troy Cate for the most whiffs by a M's farmhand. He held opponents to a .227 average, impressive in the high-octane Cal League. He led that loop in strikeouts and tied Jeff Francis for the shutout lead, 2. He was 4th in ERA.

Prior to the 2004 season, Ketchner was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Aaron Looper for Jolbert Cabrera. He spent the majority of that summer with the Jacksonville Suns, for whom he went 8-7 with 159 strikeouts to 33 walks in 156 2/3 IP, a save and a 3.02 ERA and earned a spot on the Southern League midseason All-Star squad, and ended the year by making a start for the AAA Las Vegas 51s (3 R, 9 H in 5 2/3 IP). He was third in the Southern League in ERA behind Renyel Pinto and Steve Kelly.

However, he missed the entire following year due to Tommy John surgery. He came back in 2006 and posted a 2-1 mark with a 1.69 ERA between three different teams in the Dodgers chain.

Following the 2006 season, Ketchner became a free agent and signed with the San Diego Padres organization. He struggled in 2007, going 1-11 with a 5.62 ERA for the Portland Beavers. He was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays organization in early 2008 and spent that year with the AA West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, going 7-6 with a 4.75 ERA. He joined the Detroit Tigers organization in 2009. Beginning the year with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, he went went 1-4 with a 4.66 ERA before being promoted to the AAA Toledo Mud Hens in late August. With Toledo, he made two starts, going 2-0 with an 0.56 ERA and a complete game shutout.