Ryan Fitzgerald Bio
Ryan Fitzgerald (born June 17, 1994) is an American professional baseball infielder. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2025 with the Minnesota Twins, where he appeared as a versatile position player capable of playing multiple infield spots. After his rookie big-league season, Fitzgerald was designated for assignment and subsequently moved into the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, continuing his development at the Triple-A level.
Across his professional career, Fitzgerald has climbed from independent league baseball through every rung of the minor-league ladder, including stops in the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals farm systems. His journey reflects years of steady perseverance after going unselected in the 2016 MLB draft, and his first major-league hit, a two-run home run, was a memorable milestone in his rookie year.
Early Life and Background
Ryan Fitzgerald was born on June 17, 1994, in Burr Ridge, Illinois, a southwestern suburb of Chicago. He grew up in the area and attended Fenwick High School, a well-known Catholic institution with a strong athletic tradition located in nearby Oak Park. Fitzgerald’s Midwestern upbringing placed him in a region with deep baseball roots, and he developed his love for the game during his childhood years in the Chicago metropolitan area.
At Fenwick High School, Fitzgerald played on the school’s baseball team and drew attention from college recruiters for his skills as an infielder. His performances in high school led him to continue his academic and athletic career at Creighton University, a private Jesuit school in Omaha, Nebraska, known for its competitive baseball program in the Big East Conference.
Path to Professional Baseball
Ryan Fitzgerald played college baseball at Creighton University for four seasons, working his way into a regular role in the Bluejays’ lineup. He was recognized as a second-team All-Big East Conference selection as a junior, demonstrating his value as a steady defensive infielder with offensive upside. As a senior, he posted a .230 batting average, wrapping up his college career with a foundation that he hoped would translate to professional opportunities.
Despite his productive college career, Fitzgerald went unselected in the 2016 MLB draft. He spent the winter of 2016 in the Arizona Winter League, an independent developmental circuit, before signing with the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the independent American Association of Professional Baseball in 2017. In 84 games with Gary, he slashed .239/.301/.395 with seven home runs, 20 runs batted in, and eight stolen bases, which was enough to draw the attention of major-league scouts.
Ryan Fitzgerald Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
On May 15, 2018, Ryan Fitzgerald’s contract was purchased by the Boston Red Sox organization, and he was assigned to the Greenville Drive of the Single-A South Atlantic League. In his first full minor-league season, he batted .274 while scoring 44 runs and driving in 38 runs, signaling his readiness to advance. The Red Sox promoted him to High-A Salem Red Sox in 2019, where he hit .271 with 125 hits, 63 runs scored, and 65 runs batted in, and was named the organization’s defensive player of the year.
Boston Red Sox System (2021–2023)
After the cancellation of the 2020 minor-league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fitzgerald returned to action in 2021 with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. He batted .271 with 13 home runs and 49 runs batted in across 95 games, earning a promotion to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. He participated in Boston’s 2022 spring training as a non-roster invitee, then played 127 games for Worcester in 2022, hitting .219/.304/.400 with 16 home runs and 72 runs batted in.
In 2023, Fitzgerald split his time between the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox and Worcester, producing a slash line of .268/.348/.491 with 12 home runs, 60 runs batted in, and 11 stolen bases across 99 combined appearances. Across his time in Boston’s system, he became known as a reliable utility infielder who could handle multiple positions while continuing to develop his offensive game.
Kansas City Royals (2023–2024)
On December 6, 2023, Ryan Fitzgerald was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft, giving him a fresh opportunity in a new organization. He spent the 2024 season with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, where he batted .244/.336/.418 with 14 home runs and 54 runs batted in over 108 games. Following the season, Fitzgerald elected free agency on November 4, 2024, opening the door to his next chapter in professional baseball.
Minnesota Twins Era (2025)
On January 16, 2025, the Minnesota Twins signed Ryan Fitzgerald to a minor-league contract, and he opened the year with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. He slashed .320/.417/.516 with four home runs, 21 runs batted in, and three stolen bases across 36 appearances, forcing the Twins to bring him to the major leagues. On May 16, he was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the majors for the first time, debuting that same year and scoring his first big-league run on May 19 as a pinch runner for Ty France in a walk-off win capped by a Kody Clemens double.
Fitzgerald’s first major-league hit came on August 10, when he launched a two-run go-ahead home run off Kansas City Royals pitcher Ryan Bergert, a defining moment in his rookie campaign. He went on to bat .196/.302/.457 with four home runs, nine runs batted in, and one stolen base in 24 appearances for Minnesota. On January 2, 2026, the Twins designated him for assignment following the acquisition of Eric Wagaman.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2026)
On January 9, 2026, Ryan Fitzgerald was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving him a brief window in another major-league organization. A few days later, on January 13, he was designated for assignment by the Dodgers, but he cleared waivers on January 20 and was sent outright to the minors. He was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets to open the season, continuing his pursuit of another opportunity at the major-league level.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ryan Fitzgerald is best characterized as a versatile infielder with a contact-oriented approach at the plate and reliable defensive skills across multiple positions. He has shown the ability to draw walks and produce extra-base hits, and his defensive versatility has been a calling card throughout his professional career, including being named Boston’s organizational defensive player of the year in 2019.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Ryan Fitzgerald’s most memorable moments are his first major-league run scored on May 19, 2025, and his first major-league hit, a two-run go-ahead home run on August 10, 2025, against the Kansas City Royals. He was also recognized as the Boston Red Sox’s minor-league defensive player of the year in 2019 and earned a spot in major-league spring training in 2022 as a non-roster invitee.
Ryan Fitzgerald Career Wins
Ryan Fitzgerald’s professional resume is built on steady production rather than major individual awards, with a career that has spanned the independent American Association, the Boston Red Sox minor-league system, the Kansas City Royals organization, the Minnesota Twins, and now the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Minor League Highlights
Across his time in the minors, Fitzgerald has produced multiple strong seasons, including a .274 campaign with Greenville in 2018, a .271 year with High-A Salem in 2019 that earned him Boston’s defensive player of the year award, and a 13-homer season with Portland in 2021. His 2022 season at Worcester featured 16 home runs and 72 runs batted in, while his 2023 campaign across the Florida Complex League and Worcester yielded 12 home runs and 60 runs batted in.
Other Performances
His 2024 season at Triple-A Omaha produced 14 home runs and 54 runs batted in, and his brief 2025 run at St. Paul featured a .320 batting average with four home runs and 21 runs batted in across 36 games before his promotion to the majors. At the major-league level, Fitzgerald batted .196 with four home runs and nine runs batted in during 24 appearances with the Twins in 2025.
Ryan Fitzgerald Family
Personal Life
Ryan Fitzgerald is originally from Burr Ridge, Illinois, and is a graduate of Fenwick High School and Creighton University. Public details about his parents, spouse, or children are not widely documented in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
Ryan Fitzgerald’s 2025 season was a milestone year that began at Triple-A St. Paul, where he hit .320 with four home runs and 21 runs batted in across 36 games, prompting his long-awaited promotion to the major leagues. He made his MLB debut on May 16 with the Minnesota Twins, and his first major-league run came three days later on May 19 in a walk-off victory. His first major-league hit, a two-run go-ahead home run on August 10 against the Kansas City Royals, was the signature moment of his rookie campaign.
Fitzgerald finished his 2025 rookie season batting .196/.302/.457 with four home runs, nine runs batted in, and one stolen base in 24 appearances for the Twins, showing glimpses of power despite working through adjustments against major-league pitching. His versatility as an infielder and ability to contribute in pinch-running and situational at-bats gave the Twins flexibility late in games. Following the season, he was designated for assignment and claimed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in early January 2026 before clearing waivers and heading to Triple-A Oklahoma City.