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When the Minnesota Twins sent a near nursing home version of Nelson Cruz to the Tampa Bay Rays and received Joe Ryan in return, it was puzzling . Traditionally Tampa Bay doesn’t make knee jerk moves, but needing thump for the lineup, they were willing to part with a pitcher that had ascended their own prospect ranks. When originally landing Joe Ryan, the Minnesota Twins were in something of a holding pattern.

He was pitching for Team USA in the Olympics, at the time, so they had to wait to get their hands on him until weeks after making the deal. But as soon as Joe arrived, he and their pitcher development team got to work. Developing prospects is not a linear process.



Ryan came to Minnesota in 2021 with back-end (maybe middle-rotation) starter potential, but he was MLB ready, only starting two games in Triple A before getting the call. Minnesota Twins and Joe Ryan’s ramp up the heat Joe’s fastball has always played well up in the zone, thanks to a high spin rate. For ball guys out there, his heater has always “snuck up on” batters, even if it didn’t always register at the top of radar guns.

Since the trade, Ryan has become a mainstay in the Twins’ rotation, pitching a combined 308 2/3 innings in 56 starts, easily standing out as one of the most durable arms on the roster. Prior to 2024, though, Joe Ryan’s lower-velocity fastball (with spin) that he likes to throw up in the zone has left him a bit susceptible to the longball, allowing 1.8 HR/9 in 2023.

That’.

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