Ryan Thompson #81

Ryan is a self-professed James Bond nerd…at one point, he was ranked No. 1 in the state of Oregon and No. 6 nationally on the QuizUp trivia app in the James Bond category…his favorite Bond film is Casino Royale and Daniel Craig is his top 007...He is a three-time winner of the Knights of Columbus Oregon Free Throw Championship… he and his dad would visit a local gym to practice and he estimates shooting thousands of free throws each day in preparation…he made 24 of 25 attempts in two of his three career championship rounds…the tournament required contestants to progress through multiple qualifying rounds to contend for the title...While in the minor leagues, Ryan worked as a substitute teacher during the offseason…he also organized a Wii Dance Club for the students after school hours…he used the money he earned to fund offseason training...Ryan is a reformed autograph hound…his dad took him on a weekend trip to Seattle each year to attend a Mariners series and Ryan would case the visiting hotel for players to sign…one vivid memory he has is running at full speed up a down escalator to reach Derek Jeter, only to trip and land face first at the top in front of him… Derek told him, “Kid, it’s not worth it.”...Ryan was chosen by his Double-A Montgomery teammates to speak on behalf of the players to the media in a press conference held following the tragic deaths of Blake Bivens’ family...With no fans permitted inside Tropicana Field last year, Ryan’s father, Ed, flew to St. Petersburg from Oregon to watch his major league debut from Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill near the ballpark… when Ryan entered the game, Ed ran around the bar celebrating with each out he recorded...Ryan supports an organization called 2ndMilk… the organization provides nutrition for malnourished babies in developing nations...He earned his black belt in karate at age 10.

2020

Selected to the major league roster on July 23 and made 25 apps in his rookie season...Was with the Rays for three stints: Opening Day–Aug 5, Aug 8 (29th Man) and Aug 9 through season’s end…recalled for his third stint after Oliver Drake went on the 10-day IL…spent 59 of 60 games on the active roster...Pitched to a 6.75 ERA (9.1-IP, 7-ER) in 10 apps in September and a 6.61 ERA (16.1-IP, 12-ER) in 18 apps beginning on Aug 14...Inherited 10 runners and stranded them all… was one of three major league relievers with 10 IR (or more) and none scored, joining DET Bryan Garcia (11) and CWS Codi Heuer (10)...Min. 20 IP, his groundball rate of 59.0 pct. ranked 8th in the AL...Allowed 4 HR, most among Rays relievers...Became the third pitcher since Stats LLC began tracking minor league phases of the Rule 5 Draft (2000) to be picked and make an Opening Day roster for that team…joined STL John Brebbia in 2019 and TEX Alexi Ogando in 2011...On Opening Day vs. TOR, made his major league debut and pitched two scoreless innings...On Aug 8 vs. NYY (G2), made his first career start and pitched two scoreless innings…his only hit allowed was a 2-out single to Aaron Hicks in the 1st…the next day, recorded his first career win with a perfect 9th inning...On Sep 19 at BAL, retired both batters faced in the 9th inning for his first career save…became the 12th Rays pitcher with a save, tying the major league record set by the 1973 Rangers...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 25 prospect in the Rays system following the season.

POSTSEASON: Went 0-1 with a 1.93 ERA (9.1-IP, 2-ER) in 9 apps (1 start)…eight of his 9 apps were scoreless, the only exception coming in Game 4 of the ALDS at NYY…opened and pitched a scoreless 1st inning but allowed a Luke Voit homer and three consecutive walks to start the 2nd, with a second run scoring on a sacrifice fly

2019

In his first season in the Rays organization, went 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA (23.1-IP, 7-ER) in 16 apps (5 starts) between Class-A Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery…made his season debut on May 21, returning from Tommy John surgery…was out from June 22-Aug 7 with a fractured right fifth toe.

2018

Missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery…selected by the Rays from the Astros in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

2017

Split the season between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Fresno, going 2-4 with a 4.05 ERA (66.2-IP, 30-ER) in 37 apps between the two levels…made his Triple-A debut on April 20, the start of his first of two stints with the Grizzlies.

2016

Went 5-2 with a 3.35 ERA (75.1-IP, 28-ER) in 43 apps between Class-A Lancaster and Corpus Christi…promoted to the Double-A level on June 20 and remained there through the end of the season.

2015

Split his first full professional season between Class-A Quad Cities and Lancaster, going 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA (63-IP, 21-ER) in 43 apps.

2014

Led Astros minor leaguers with 12 saves, which tied for 3rd in the New York-Penn League… named to the midseason NYPL All-Star Team.