DETROIT -- River Ryan, the Tigers’ top-ranked pitching prospect since coming over from the Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal trade, began his Tigers organizational tenure on Wednesday afternoon with two scoreless innings and two strikeouts in a start for Triple-A Toledo at Iowa.
Ryan, the No. 66 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list and No. 4 in the Tigers organization, had to wait for his first game in the system due to a hamstring injury that predated the Aug. 1 trade. The Tigers were aware of the injury when they swung the deal; he was already on the Triple-A injury list. Given Ryan’s impressive arsenal, they were willing to wait to see him on the mound in September.
COMPLETE TIGERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
In that sense, Ryan’s outing Wednesday didn’t disappoint. He began his start with back-to-back strikeouts, fanning Cubs No. 11 prospect James Triantos on a slider off the plate before sending a 98 mph high fastball past former Guardian and Rockie Owen Miller. A bloop single between shortstop and left field denied Ryan a perfect inning, but he recovered by inducing a Chas McCormick groundout to end the frame.
Another bloop single put a runner on against Ryan in the second inning, but he got three quick outs in play to hold the damage there.
That was it for Ryan, whose return from a hamstring injury as well as his return from Tommy John surgery has led the Tigers to bring the 28-year-old along slowly. He threw 23 pitches, 17 for strikes, while getting four whiffs in 15 swings, two whiffs off his slider.
“Obviously we’re excited to get him active in the organization and then build him up accordingly,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday morning.
The Tigers have left open the possibility of Ryan pitching in Detroit before the season ends. His seven fastballs averaged 97 mph, while his seven sliders averaged 91.7.