Ryan Jorgensen
Encyclopedia
Ryan Wayne Jorgensen
Ryan Wayne Jorgensen (born May 4, 1979 in Jacksonville, Florida
is a former Major League Baseball
catcher
. He attended Kingwood High School
and Louisiana State University
.
Jorgensen was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
in the Major League Baseball Draft two times, but did not sign either time. In , he was drafted in the 29th round (894th overall) and in he was drafted in the 24th round (732nd overall). In , he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs
in the 7th round as the 193rd overall pick and this time he did sign a contract.
On March 27, , Jorgensen was traded to the Florida Marlins
along with pitcher
s Julian Tavarez
, José Cueto, and Dontrelle Willis
for pitchers Antonio Alfonseca
and Matt Clement
. He would spend the next four years in the Marlins organization. He made his major league debut on August 8, and played in both games of a doubleheader
. He made his first major league start in the second game and went 0-3 with 2 strikeout
s. He would appear in 4 games and had just four hitless at-bats for the Marlins in 2005.
Jorgensen was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for second baseman
Carlos Piste during spring training
in . He played for the Louisville Bats
, the Reds' Triple-A affiliate, for the whole season. In , Jorgensen began the season for the Bats again. When David Ross went down with an injury, Jorgensen had his contract purchased by the big league club on August 14, . On August 15, 2007, in a start for the Reds, he recorded his first big league hit
, a home run
, in his first at-bat for the Reds off Chicago Cubs' pitcher Ted Lilly
.
On September 7, 2007, was suspended for 50 games for a violation of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. On October 19, 2007, Jorgensen was outrighted to the minor leagues. He refused the assignment and became a free agent
. On December 13, 2007, Jorgensen was one of many MLB players named in the Mitchell Report
.
Jorgensen signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins
for the season and assigned to Triple-A Rochester
where he began play at the conclusion of his suspension. He was called up to the majors after the September 1 roster expansions and was released by the Twins after the season.
In November 2008, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds. However, he announced his retirement before the start of spring training.
Ryan Wayne Jorgensen (born May 4, 1979 in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. He attended Kingwood High School
Kingwood High School
Kingwood High School is a Humble ISD secondary school located in the Kingwood community of Houston, Texas, United States.Melissa Hayhurst is the current principal of Kingwood High School....
and Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
.
Jorgensen was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
in the Major League Baseball Draft two times, but did not sign either time. In , he was drafted in the 29th round (894th overall) and in he was drafted in the 24th round (732nd overall). In , he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in the 7th round as the 193rd overall pick and this time he did sign a contract.
On March 27, , Jorgensen was traded to the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
along with pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
s Julian Tavarez
Julián Tavárez
Julián Tavárez Carmen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-Minor leagues :...
, José Cueto, and Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Wayne Willis , nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American professional baseball pitcher. Willis is notable for his success during his first few years in the league and for his unconventional pitching style, which includes a high leg kick and exaggerated twisting away from the batter...
for pitchers Antonio Alfonseca
Antonio Alfonseca
Antonio Alfonseca is a relief pitcher for the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He last pitched in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies, and is also known for having an extra digit on each hand and foot. Alfonseca has also played for the Florida...
and Matt Clement
Matt Clement
Matthew Paul Clement is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Clement played for the San Diego Padres , Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox . While on the Red Sox active roster, he was injured all of the 2007 season...
. He would spend the next four years in the Marlins organization. He made his major league debut on August 8, and played in both games of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
. He made his first major league start in the second game and went 0-3 with 2 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s. He would appear in 4 games and had just four hitless at-bats for the Marlins in 2005.
Jorgensen was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Carlos Piste during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in . He played for the Louisville Bats
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
, the Reds' Triple-A affiliate, for the whole season. In , Jorgensen began the season for the Bats again. When David Ross went down with an injury, Jorgensen had his contract purchased by the big league club on August 14, . On August 15, 2007, in a start for the Reds, he recorded his first big league hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
, in his first at-bat for the Reds off Chicago Cubs' pitcher Ted Lilly
Ted Lilly
Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly III , is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats and throws left-handed...
.
On September 7, 2007, was suspended for 50 games for a violation of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. On October 19, 2007, Jorgensen was outrighted to the minor leagues. He refused the assignment and became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. On December 13, 2007, Jorgensen was one of many MLB players named in the Mitchell Report
Mitchell Report (baseball)
The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
.
Jorgensen signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
for the season and assigned to Triple-A Rochester
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
where he began play at the conclusion of his suspension. He was called up to the majors after the September 1 roster expansions and was released by the Twins after the season.
In November 2008, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds. However, he announced his retirement before the start of spring training.