Ryan Fitzgerald (baseball)

Fitzgerald grew up in Burr Ridge, Illinois, and attended Fenwick High School. He played college baseball at Creighton University for four seasons. He was named second-team All-Big East Conference as a junior,^[1] and had a .230 batting average as a senior.^[2]

Fitzgerald went unselected in the 2016 MLB draft. He played in the now-defunct Arizona Winter League in the winter of 2016^[3] before signing with the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the independent American Association of Professional Baseball in 2017.^[4] In 84 games for Gary, Fitzgerald slashed .239/.301/.395 with seven home runs, 20 RBI, and eight stolen bases.

Fitzgerald's contract was purchased by the Boston Red Sox organization on May 15, 2018.^[5] The Red Sox assigned Fitzgerald to the Greenville Drive of the Single-A South Atlantic League, where he batted .274 with 44 runs scored and 38 RBI.^[6] He spent the 2019 season with High-A Salem Red Sox and hit .271 with 125 hits, 63 runs scored, and 65 RBI and was named the organization's defensive player of the year.^[7]

Fitzgerald did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[8] He started the 2021 season with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs.^[9] Fitzgerald was promoted to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox after batting .271 with 13 home runs and 49 RBI in 95 games with Portland.^[10]

Fitzgerald participated in Boston's 2022 spring training a non-roster invitee.^[11] He was assigned to Worcester to start the 2022 season,^[12] ultimately playing in 127 games and hitting .219/.304/.400 with 16 home runs and 72 RBI. Fitzgerald split the 2023 campaign between the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox and Worcester, slashing .268/.348/.491 with 12 home runs, 60 RBI, and 11 stolen bases across 99 combined appearances.^[13]

On December 6, 2023, Fitzgerald was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.^[14] In 108 games for the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, he batted .244/.336/.418 with 14 home runs and 54 RBI. Fitzgerald elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2024.^[15]

On January 16, 2025, the Minnesota Twins signed Fitzgerald to a minor league contract.^[16][17] In 36 appearances for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints, he slashed .320/.417/.516 with four home runs, 21 RBI, and three stolen bases. On May 16, Fitzgerald was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.^[17][18] He scored his first big league run on May 19, while pinch running for Ty France. The run helped Minnesota win the game, coming of a walk-off double by Kody Clemens. ^[19] On August 10, Fitzgerald recorded his first MLB hit, a two-run go-ahead home run off of Ryan Bergert of the Kansas City Royals.^[20] In 24 appearances for Minnesota during his rookie campaign, he batted .196/.302/.457 with four home runs, nine RBI, and one stolen base. On January 2, 2026, Fitzgerald was designated for assignment by the Twins following the acquisition of Eric Wagaman.^[21]

On January 9, 2026, Fitzgerald was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers,^[22] only to be designated for assignment a few days later, on January 13.^[23] He cleared waivers on January 20 and was sent outright to the minors.^[24] He was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets to start the season.^[25]

• Creighton Bluejays bio

• Career statistics from Baseball Reference  · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Baseball Almanac