| Ryan Boldt | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free agent | |||||||||||||||
| Outfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Born: November 22, 1994 Red Wing, Minnesota | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Ryan Andrew Boldt (born November 22, 1994) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He previously played college baseball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and played professionally for the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
Boldt is naturally left-handed, but taught himself to throw with his right arm after having surgery to repair a broken radial head in his left elbow at the age of 10.[1] He attended Red Wing High School in Red Wing, Minnesota, where he played for the school's baseball team. He joined the varsity team in his sophomore season,[2] but required further surgeries on his arm. In the fall of 2012, Boldt was named the most valuable player of the Perfect Game High School All-American Classic,[3] and competed on the United States national baseball team in the 2012 18U Baseball World Championship, winning the gold medal.[1] He suffered a partial tear in the meniscus of his right knee in the first game of his senior season, causing him to miss the remainder of the year.[4][5][6] The Boston Red Sox selected him in the 22nd round, with the 653rd selection, of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.[3] Though the Red Sox flew Boldt to Boston in an attempt to sign him,[7] Boldt opted not to sign, and instead enrolled at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to play college baseball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.[4][8]
Boldt serves as the leadoff hitter for the Cornhuskers.[9] In 2015, his sophomore year, he was named to the All-Big Ten Conference's second team. After the 2015 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.[10][11] In 2016, Boldt was named to the Golden Spikes Award watch list, and ranked as one of the best prospects available in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[9] However, he slumped in the 2016 season, batting .208 over his last 25 games.[12]
The Tampa Bay Rays selected Boldt in the second round of the 2016 draft.[13] Boldt signed with the Rays,[14] and spent his first professional season with the Hudson Valley Renegades of the Low-A New York-Penn League, where he posted a .218 batting average with one home run and 15 RBIs in 43 games.[15] Boldt spent 2017 with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the High-A Florida State League, batting .295 with five home runs and 62 RBIs in 120 games.[16] He began the 2018 season with the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double-A Southern League.[17]
Boldt missed the 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery,[18] and the minor league season was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he began the season with the Durham Bulls.[19] He was released from the Bulls on August 22, 2022.[20]
Boldt has three older siblings.[1] His cousin, Pat Kelly, played some baseball for the Cornhuskers.[3][8]
