Cole Ragans

Cole Ragans
Ragans with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2023
Kansas City Royals – No. 55
Pitcher
Born: (1997-12-12) December 12, 1997 (age 26)
Gainesville, Florida, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 4, 2022, for the Texas Rangers
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record18–17
Earned run average3.46
Strikeouts363
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Cole Gatlin Ragans (born December 12, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Texas Rangers.

Amateur career

Ragans attended North Florida Christian High School in Tallahassee, Florida.[1][2][3] In his senior season, Ragans went 9–0 with a 0.90 ERA and 104 strikeouts over 70 innings.[3] He committed to play college baseball for the Florida State Seminoles.[4] Ragans was drafted by the Texas Rangers, with the 30th overall selection, in the first round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft.[5][6] He signed with Texas for a $2,003,400 signing bonus.[7]

Professional career

Texas Rangers

After signing, he was assigned to the AZL Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, posting a 4.70 ERA in 7+2⁄3 innings. He spent 2017 with the Spokane Indians of the Class A Short Season Northwest League, where he pitched to a 3–2 record and a 3.61 ERA along with 87 strikeouts in 57+1⁄3 innings.[8]

Ragans underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2018 and missed all of the 2018 season.[9] On May 14, 2019, the Rangers announced that Ragans had suffered a tear in the graft of his surgically repaired left elbow during his rehabilitation process. The tear resulted in a second Tommy John procedure which resulted in him missing the entire 2019 season.[10] Ragans did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ragans opened the 2021 season with the Hickory Crawdads of the High-A East.[11] In June 2021, Ragans was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game.[12][13] Ragans was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Central on July 18, after going 1–2 with a 3.25 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 44+1⁄3 innings for Hickory.[14] He finished 2021 after posting a 3–1 record with a 5.70 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 36+1⁄3 innings for Frisco. Ragans returned to Frisco to open the 2022 season, going 5–3 with a 2.81 ERA and 65 strikeouts over 51+1⁄3 innings, before being promoted to the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League on June 14.[15] Over 8 starts for Round Rock, Ragans went 3–2 with a 3.32 ERA and 48 strikeouts over 43+1⁄3 innings.[16] He was named the Texas Rangers 2022 Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year.[17]

On August 4, 2022, Texas selected Ragans' contract and promoted him to the active roster for the first time.[18][19] In his MLB debut that night versus the Chicago White Sox, Ragans allowed one unearned run over five innings while recording three strikeouts.[20] Over 9 game for Texas, Ragans went 0–3 with a 4.96 ERA and 27 strikeouts over 40 innings in 2022.[21] He went 2-3 with a 5.92 ERA in 17 appearances with the Rangers in 2023.

Kansas City Royals

On June 30, 2023, the Rangers traded Ragans and minor league outfielder Roni Cabrera to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Aroldis Chapman.[22] After joining the Royals and moving from the bullpen, where he had made all of his 2023 appearances with Texas, to the starting rotation, Ragans saw increased success across his first 47 innings with Kansas City.[23] He received the AL Pitcher of the Month Award for his performance in the month of August.

In 2024, after posting a 3.28 ERA in 19 starts, Ragans was selected to his first All-Star Game.[24] On September 6, in a game versus the Minnesota Twins, Ragans became the fifth pitcher in Royals history (after Zack Greinke in 2009, Kevin Appier in 1996, Dennis Leonard in 1977, and Bob Johnson in 1970) to strike out 200 batters in a single season.[25]

References

  1. ^ Miller, Brian (June 8, 2016). "NFC's Ragans equally ready for college or pros". Tallahassee Democrat.
  2. ^ "Baseball preview: Cole Ragans the ace of NFC's new pitching staff". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Miller, Brian (June 9, 2016). "NFC pitcher Ragans chosen in 1st round of MLB draft". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  4. ^ Miller, Brian (April 29, 2016). "FSU recruit Cole Ragans tosses shutout as NFC beats St. Joseph in regional baseball semifinal". St. Augustine Record. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  5. ^ "Rangers select high school lefty Cole Ragans with No. 30 pick". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  6. ^ "Five things to know about first-round pick Cole Ragans, including his similarities to a Rangers ace". The Dallas Morning News. June 10, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  7. ^ Posner, Ryan (June 14, 2016). "Rangers agree to terms with top 3 Draft picks". MLB.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  8. ^ "Cole Ragans Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  9. ^ RotoWire Staff (March 28, 2018). "Rangers' Cole Ragans: Undergoes Tommy John surgery". CBSSports.com. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  10. ^ Jeff Wilson (May 14, 2019). "Ragans' comeback from Tommy John halted. It's more bad news for a Rangers prospect". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  11. ^ Jeff Wilson (May 29, 2021). "Cole Ragans Returns From Second Tommy John Surgery". Baseball America. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  12. ^ Jim Callis (June 30, 2021). "Futures Game rosters are STACKED". MLB.com. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  13. ^ de los Santos, Justice (June 30, 2021). "Winn, Ragans to rep Texas at Futures Game". MLB.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  14. ^ Staff, RotoWire (July 19, 2021). "Rangers' Cole Ragans: Debuts in Double-A". CBSSports.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  15. ^ Grant, Evan (June 13, 2022). "Rangers promote pitching prospect Cole Ragans to AAA Round Rock". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  16. ^ Postins, Matthew (August 3, 2022). "First-Round Pick to Make Rangers, MLB Debut". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  17. ^ Bigley, Zach (October 3, 2022). "Former Riders sweep 2022 Rangers MiLB awards". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  18. ^ Hoyt, Joseph (August 3, 2022). "Touted Rangers prospect Cole Ragans' perseverance finally leads to first MLB callup". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  19. ^ Postins, Matthew (August 3, 2022). "First-Round Pick to Make Rangers, MLB Debut". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  20. ^ Postins, Matthew (August 4, 2022). "Cole Ragans Debuts in Rangers Victory". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  21. ^ Postins, Matthew (October 29, 2022). "Rangers 40-Man Roster Wraps: Cole Ragans". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  22. ^ Rogers, Anne (June 30, 2023). "Royals send Chapman to Rangers for 2 players". MLB.com.
  23. ^ Rivera, Esteban (September 5, 2023). "The Cole Train Has Taken Kansas City by Storm". FanGraphs.
  24. ^ Rooney, Liam. "Former NFC, current Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans selected to MLB All-Star Game". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  25. ^ "With record-setting 200th K, Ragans helps Royals pass Twins for 2nd place". MLB.com. Retrieved September 7, 2024.