Ryan Leahy

Ryan Michael Leahy

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 180 lb.

• School Boston College, University of San Francisco
• High School St. John's Prep

• Born July 8, 1981 in Salem, MA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical information

Ryan Leahy spent five seasons in the minor leagues, reaching AA.

Leahy won a state football title in high school and was MVP of the Massachusetts state baseball tournament in 1999, when his school won it all. As a freshman at the University of San Francisco, he hit .294/.406/?. He transferred to Boston College and batted .293 with 15 steals as a sophomore.

Ryan missed 2002 due to an injury and was redshirted. As a junior in '03, he hit .316 with only 14 strikeouts in 187 AB; he also stole 17 bases. His senior year, he batted .319.

Undrafted, Leahy was offered contracts by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Anaheim Angels. Liking how the Angels had given a fellow "undersized" infielder, David Eckstein, a chance, Leahy signed with that club.

Ryan split his first pro season, 2004, between the Provo Angels (.305/.359/.316 in 25 G) and the Cedar Rapids Kernels (.266/.355/.319 in 25 G). In 2005, the Salem native split time between the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (.253/.356/.320 in 39 G) and the Arkansas Travelers (.231/.290/.306 in 43 G). At both stops, he topped .300 against left-handed pitching. He also pitched a game for Arkansas, allowing five runs in two innings and striking out two.

In 2006, Leahy again played for Rancho Cucamonga (.260/.351/.317 in 78 G, .303 versus LHP) and Cedar Rapids (.263/.317/.289 in 12 G, .300 versus LHP). He backed up Sean Rodriguez at short, Freddy Sandoval at third and Nate Sutton at second. Ryan also tossed two shutout innings with the Quakes.

That November, Leahy was shaving when he found a lump on the side of his neck. It turned out to be thyroid cancer. He had surgery in January and underwent radioactive iodine treatment.

Ryan returned to Arkansas for the 2007 season, where he roomed with Nick Adenhart. Adenhart supported Leahy in his return from cancer, while the infielder helped mentor the young prospect. They would go fishing and play video games together. The two would be in a wedding party together only months before Adenhart's tragic death in a 2009 car accident; they were text-messaging each other the day before Adenhart's death.

Leahy's recovery on the field was not seamless. He hit .208/.283/.231 in 56 games for the '07 Travelers, backing up Adam Morrissey at second, Sandoval at third and Rodriguez at short, fielding .957 overall. He also pitched another scoreless inning of relief. He played in the game in which Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh was killed by a line drive.

In 2008, Ryan hit .172/.203/.195 in 52 games in his usual role as a utility infielder.

Leahy became a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh in 2009 and retained that role in 2010. He later scouted for the Angels, signing Daniel Procopio and Jordan Serena.

Sources

• Boston College bio
• 2004-2009 Baseball Almanacs
• MILB.com
• "One man's lessons in life, death and the ability to persevere" by Colin Dunlap in the 5/10/2009 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Pitt bio
• Article