Ricky Vanasco
Los Angeles Dodgers
Pitcher
Born: (1998-10-13) October 13, 1998 (age 25)
Morriston, Florida
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Ricky Vanasco (born October 13, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Career

Amateur career

Vanasco attended Williston High School in Williston, Florida.[1] In his senior season, he posted a 6–2 record with a 0.53 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 53 innings.[1] Vanasco committed to Stetson University.[2] He was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 15th round, with the 464th overall selection, of the 2017 MLB draft.[1] He signed with the Rangers for a $200,000 signing bonus.[3][4]

Texas Rangers

Vanasco made his professional debut in 2017 with the AZL Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, going 0–1 with a 0.00 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 9 innings.[5] His season was cut short when on August 31, he was struck in the head by a throw from his catcher Sam Huff.[5] He suffered a concussion and missed the rest of the 2017 season.[5] He returned to the AZL Rangers in 2018, going 3–3 with a 4.38 ERA and 25 strikeouts over 24+2⁄3 innings.[6] He was shut down for the rest of the 2018 season on July 24 after developing elbow inflammation that required rehabilitation.[5] Vanasco split the 2019 season between the Spokane Indians of the Low–A Northwest League and the Hickory Crawdads of the Single–A South Atlantic League, going a combined 3–1 with a 1.81 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 49+2⁄3 innings.[7][8][9] He was named a 2019 Northwest League All-Star.[10] Vanasco did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vanasco underwent Tommy John Surgery in September 2020 after suffering an injury at the Rangers Alternate Training Site.[11] Vanasco spent 2021 recovering from surgery, only returning to game action in the organizational fall instructional league.[12]

On November 19, 2021, Texas added Vanasco to their 40–man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[13][14] Vanasco split the 2022 season between Hickory and the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League, going a combined 3–5 with a 4.68 ERA and 118 strikeouts over 92+1⁄3 innings.[15] He was optioned to Double-A Frisco to begin the 2023 season.[16] On March 29, 2023, it was announced that Vanasco would miss 4–6 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee.[17] On May 29, Vanasco was designated for assignment.[18]

Los Angeles Dodgers

On June 1, 2023, Vanasco was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Luis Valdez.[19] After one start for the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Dodgers, Vanasco surrendered two runs in an inning pitched for the Double–A Tulsa Drillers. On June 30, Vanasco was designated for assignment.[20] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Double–A Tulsa on July 5.[21] He pitched in 20 games for Tulsa with a 1–4 record and 1.52 ERA and five games for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, where he did not allow a run in 5+1⁄3 innings.[6] He became a minor league free agent following the season on November 6.[22]

On November 16, 2023, Vanasco re–signed with the Dodgers on a one–year, $900K major league contract.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b c Larry Savage (June 14, 2017). "Williston's Vanasco drafted by Rangers". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  2. ^ Chris Boyle (June 14, 2017). "Mets take DeLand's Hutchinson, University's Peden in consecutive rounds of MLB Draft". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  3. ^ Evan Grant (June 24, 2017). "Rangers notebook: Texas finalizes contracts with five more draft picks". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  4. ^ Jamey Newberg (October 17, 2019). "Six Rangers prospects — three pitchers and three hitters — who pointed their arrows up in 2019". The Athletic. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d Jamey Newberg (July 15, 2019). "Turning heads: Rising Rangers prospect Ricky Vanasco overcame frightening injury, but one deficit persists". The Athletic. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Ricky Vanasco Minor League Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  7. ^ Jamey Newberg (November 14, 2019). "Rangers 2019-20 offseason prospect rankings: Part 7 (Texas' top 5)". The Athletic. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  8. ^ Jeff Wilson (October 14, 2019). "How meat on his bones, mustard on his fastball made Vanasco a top 10 Rangers prospect". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  9. ^ Staff report (June 14, 2019). "Spokane Indians Opening Day: Ricky Vanasco dazzles in lopsided win over Vancouver". Spokesman Review. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  10. ^ Boise Hawks (July 31, 2019). "2019 Northwest League All-Star Team Released". Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  11. ^ T.R. Sullivan (September 18, 2020). "Texas prospect Vanasco to have TJ surgery". MLB.com. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  12. ^ Grant, Evan (2021-09-17). "Meet Rangers pitching prospect Ricky Vanasco, whose 99 mph fastball is key part of team's rebuild". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  13. ^ Landry, Kennedi (November 19, 2021). "Texas protects 3 prospects from Rule 5 Draft". MLB.com. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  14. ^ Morris, Adam J. (2021-11-19). "Rangers add 3 to 40 man roster, outright 2". Lone Star Ball (SB Nation). Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  15. ^ Postins, Matthew (October 21, 2022). "Rangers Top 30 Prospect Wraps: Ricky Vanasco". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  16. ^ "Ricky Vanasco Stats, Fantasy & News".
  17. ^ "Rangers' Ricky Vanasco: Undergoes knee surgery". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  18. ^ Franco, Anthony (2023-05-29). "Rangers Select Grant Anderson, Designate Ricky Vanasco". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  19. ^ "Dodgers' Ricky Vanasco: Traded to Dodgers". June 2, 2023.
  20. ^ "Dodgers' Ricky Vanasco: Removed from 40-man roster". cbssports.com. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  21. ^ "Ricky Vanasco: Clears waivers". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  22. ^ "Ricky Vanasco Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  23. ^ "Dodgers' Ricky Vanasco: Re-signs with Dodgers". cbssports.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.

External links

Los Angeles Dodgers current roster
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