Ryan Bergert Bio
Ryan Michael Bergert, born on March 8, 2000, in Canton, Ohio, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also pitched in MLB for the San Diego Padres. Bergert, who wears jersey number 38, attended GlenOak High School and later played college baseball at West Virginia University before being drafted by the Padres in 2021.
Standing as a right-handed pitcher, Bergert has steadily climbed through the minor league ranks, reaching the major leagues for the first time in 2025. In his debut MLB season, he posted a 2–2 record with a 3.66 ERA and 73 strikeouts, split between San Diego and Kansas City. His professional journey includes stops at multiple levels of the Padres’ farm system and a midseason trade to the Royals.
Early Life and Background
Ryan Michael Bergert was born and raised in Canton, Ohio, where he attended GlenOak High School. He played baseball for the Golden Eagles and emerged as a promising pitching prospect during his high school years. As a senior in 2019, Bergert went 4–2 with a 3.19 ERA and recorded 66 strikeouts over 37 innings pitched, drawing attention from college and professional scouts.
After graduating from GlenOak High School, Bergert enrolled at West Virginia University to play college baseball for the Mountaineers. His strong senior season in high school helped set the stage for his college career, where he continued to develop as a starting pitcher. Bergert’s background in Ohio baseball and his commitment to a competitive Big 12 program gave him a foundation to grow as a prospect.
Path to Baseball
Bergert wasted little time making an impact at West Virginia. As a freshman in 2019, he pitched to a 2–0 record with a 1.85 ERA over 34 innings, showing poise beyond his years. As a sophomore in 2020, he posted a 2.92 ERA over 24 and 2/3 innings during a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. That summer, he gained additional experience playing in the Northwoods League for the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders, a respected collegiate summer league.
His college career, however, faced a major setback in 2021 when he did not pitch for West Virginia after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The injury threatened to derail his draft stock, but Bergert recovered and was selected by the San Diego Padres in the sixth round, 190th overall, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Padres and began his professional career later that year, making his debut with the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Padres, where he gave up no earned runs over 11 innings.
Ryan Bergert Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Bergert made his professional debut near the end of the 2021 season with the Arizona Complex League Padres, pitching 11 scoreless innings in his first taste of pro ball. The following year, he advanced to High-A and spent the 2022 season with the Fort Wayne TinCaps. He started 24 games and went 4–10 with a 5.84 ERA while striking out 129 batters over 103 and 1/3 innings. Despite the win-loss record, his strikeout totals suggested long-term potential as a power pitcher.
He returned to Fort Wayne to open the 2023 season and continued to refine his craft. In mid-July 2023, Bergert was promoted to the Double-A San Antonio Missions. Over 23 games, including 20 starts, he went 6–4 with a 2.73 ERA and 126 strikeouts across 105 and 2/3 innings, demonstrating the kind of consistency that clubs look for in upper-minors prospects. The improvement from his 2022 campaign marked an important developmental step.
San Diego Padres Era (2024–2025)
Bergert was assigned back to San Antonio to open the 2024 season. In 23 starts for the Missions, he logged a 2–10 record with a 4.78 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 98 innings. Even with the results, the Padres saw enough in his arm to add him to their 40-man roster following the season, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft. The move signaled the organization’s belief in his long-term upside.
He was optioned to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas to begin the 2025 season. On April 25, 2025, the Padres selected Bergert’s contract and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut on April 26, pitching one scoreless inning in relief against the Tampa Bay Rays. Bergert recorded his first career win on May 5 in a victory over the New York Yankees. In 11 appearances, including seven starts for San Diego, he compiled a 1–0 record and a 2.78 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 35 and 2/3 innings, cementing his readiness for a major league role.
Kansas City Royals Era (2025–Present)
On July 31, 2025, the Padres traded Bergert and pitcher Stephen Kolek to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for catcher Freddy Fermín. The move gave Bergert a fresh opportunity in a new organization. He made his Royals debut on August 5 against the Boston Red Sox, giving up two runs over 5 and 2/3 innings, and quickly settled into Kansas City’s rotation.
Bergert made eight starts for the Royals and went 1–2 with a 4.43 ERA and 39 strikeouts across 40 and 2/3 innings before his season was cut short. He was placed on the injured list on September 18 with forearm tightness, ending his 2025 campaign. In total, across both clubs in 2025, he finished with a 2–2 record, a 3.66 ERA, and 73 strikeouts, numbers that validated his place in the major leagues.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bergert’s profile is built around a power-pitching arsenal and the ability to generate swings and misses. His minor league track record features seasons with more than 100 strikeouts, highlighting his swing-and-miss stuff. As a starter, he has shown the endurance to work deep into games and the composure to handle high-leverage situations in relief, as evidenced by his scoreless MLB debut inning against Tampa Bay.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bergert’s MLB debut on April 26, 2025, and his first career win on May 5 against the New York Yankees stand as defining early milestones. The midseason trade to Kansas City on July 31 marked another pivotal moment, offering him a path to regular starts with a new club. The forearm injury that ended his 2025 season underscored the physical challenges that come with a young pitcher’s workload.
Ryan Bergert Career Wins
Across his major league career through the 2025 season, Bergert had compiled two wins, both coming in his rookie year. His first career victory came with the Padres against the Yankees on May 5, 2025, and his second came with the Royals later that summer. While the total win count remains modest, his debut season established him as a contributing major league arm with room to grow.
MLB Highlights
Bergert’s first MLB win on May 5, 2025, against the Yankees is a signature early moment in his big-league career. He went on to record his second win with the Royals after being acquired at the trade deadline. Across 19 combined appearances and 15 starts between San Diego and Kansas City, he struck out 73 batters and finished with a 3.66 ERA, numbers that suggest a pitcher still trending upward.
Other Wins & Performances
In the minors, Bergert’s most notable win totals came during the 2023 season at San Antonio, where he went 6–4 with a 2.73 ERA across 23 games, and during his freshman year at West Virginia in 2019, when he went 2–0 with a 1.85 ERA. His professional debut in 2021 with the Arizona Complex League Padres featured 11 scoreless innings, another strong early performance.
Ryan Bergert Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available details about Bergert’s family are limited. He was raised in Canton, Ohio, and attended GlenOak High School, where he developed his baseball skills. Further information about his parents and any relatives in professional sports has not been widely reported.
Personal Life
Bergert was born Ryan Michael Bergert on March 8, 2000, in Canton, Ohio. He is a United States citizen and has spent his early professional years moving between minor league cities and the major league clubs of San Diego and Kansas City. Beyond his baseball career, additional verified personal details are not available in current public sources.
2025 Season Performance
Bergert’s 2025 season marked his long-awaited arrival in the major leagues. He began the year at Triple-A El Paso before being promoted by the Padres on April 25 and debuting a day later against Tampa Bay. He earned his first MLB win on May 5 against the Yankees and finished his Padres stint with a 1–0 record, 2.78 ERA, and 34 strikeouts in 35 and 2/3 innings across 11 appearances and seven starts.
After being traded to the Royals on July 31, Bergert transitioned into Kansas City’s starting rotation. He made his Royals debut on August 5 against Boston and went 1–2 with a 4.43 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 40 and 2/3 innings over eight starts. His season was cut short on September 18 when forearm tightness led to an injured list placement, and he subsequently underwent Tommy John surgery, ruling him out for the 2026 season and likely part of 2027.
For 2025, Bergert combined for a 2–2 record, a 3.66 ERA, and 73 strikeouts, a solid statistical foundation for a rookie campaign. Looking ahead, his recovery from surgery will define his near-term outlook, while his track record of high strikeout totals at every level points to long-term potential once he returns to the mound.
