Ryan Jorgensen

{{Infobox baseball biography

|image=

|name=Ryan Jorgensen

|position=Catcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1979|5|4}}

|birth_place=Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 8

|debutyear=2005

|debutteam=Florida Marlins

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 19

|finalyear=2008

|finalteam=Minnesota Twins

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.150

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=2

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=6

|teams=

Florida Marlins ({{Baseball year|2005}})
Cincinnati Reds ({{Baseball year|2007}})
Minnesota Twins ({{Baseball year|2008}})

}}

Ryan Wayne Jorgensen (born May 4, 1979) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He attended Kingwood High School and Louisiana State University.

Jorgensen was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the Major League Baseball Draft two times, but did not sign either time. In {{Baseball year|1997}}, he was drafted in the 29th round (894th overall) and in {{Baseball year|1998}}, he was drafted in the 24th round (732nd overall).{{Cite web |title=29th Round of the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1997&draft_round=29&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=24th Round of the 1998 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1998&draft_round=24&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} In {{Baseball year|2000}}, he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the seventh round (193rd overall), and this time he did sign a contract.{{Cite web |title=7th Round of the 2000 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/ |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

On March 27, {{Baseball year|2002}}, Jorgensen was traded to the Florida Marlins along with pitchers Julián Tavárez, José Cueto, and Dontrelle Willis for pitchers Antonio Alfonseca and Matt Clement.{{Cite web |date=March 27, 2002 |title=Cubs get Alfonseca in six-player deal with Marlins |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2002/0327/1359044.html |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=ESPN}} He would spend the next four years in the Marlins organization. Jorgensen made his major league debut on August 8, {{mlby|2005}} against the Colorado Rockies, and played in both games of a doubleheader.{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2005 |title=Mohr had struck out in first two at-bats |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/250808227 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230105090438/https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/250808227 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 5, 2023 |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=ESPN |language=en |agency=Associated Press}} He made his first major league start in the second game and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2005 |title=Florida Marlins vs Colorado Rockies Box Score: August 8, 2005 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/COL/COL200508082.shtml |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He would appear in four games and had just four hitless at-bats for the Marlins in 2005.{{Cite web |title=Ryan Jorgensen Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jorgery01.shtml |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Jorgensen was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for second baseman Carlos Piste on March 28, 2006.{{Cite web |date=March 28, 2006 |title=Nationals demote Church to Triple-A |url=https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2006/03/29/nationals-demote-church-to-triple-a/31479284007/ |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=The Gainesville Sun |language=en-US |agency=Associated Press}} He played for the Louisville Bats, the Reds' Triple-A affiliate, for the entire 2006 season, batting .213 with eight home runs and 30 RBI in 74 games.{{Cite web |title=Ryan Jorgensen Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=jorgen001rya |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} In {{Baseball year|2007}}, Jorgensen began the season for the Bats again. When David Ross went down with an injury, Jorgensen had his contract purchased by the big league club on August 14, {{mlby|2007}}.{{Cite web |last=Sheldon |first=Mark |date=August 14, 2007 |title=Ross placed on 15-day disabled list |url=http://m.reds.mlb.com/news/article/2146717 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914215315/http://m.reds.mlb.com/news/article/2146717 |archive-date=September 14, 2015 |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Cincinnati Reds |publisher=MLB.com}} On August 15, 2007, in a start for the Reds, Jorgensen recorded his first big league hit, a home run, in his first at-bat for the Reds off Chicago Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly.{{Cite web |last=Sheldon |first=Mark |date=August 16, 2007 |title=Hamilton's blast wins it for Reds |url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070815&content_id=2151325&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070820093347/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070815&content_id=2151325&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin |archive-date=August 20, 2007 |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Cincinnati Reds |publisher=MLB.com}} Despite only appearing in four games with the Reds, he hit two home runs and drove in six runs while batting .200 (3-for-15).

On September 7, 2007, Jorgensen was suspended for 50 games for a violation of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.{{Cite web |last=Sheldon |first=Mark |date=September 7, 2007 |title=Notes: Jorgensen suspended |url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070907&content_id=2194562&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913195901/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070907&content_id=2194562&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin |archive-date=September 13, 2007 |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=Cincinnati Reds |publisher=MLB.com}}{{cite news |title=Cincinnati Reds catcher Ryan Jorgenson suspended for 50 games |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story?id=3009527 |access-date=June 9, 2025 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |date=September 7, 2007}} On October 19, 2007, Jorgensen was outrighted to the minor leagues. He refused the assignment and became a free agent. On December 13, 2007, Jorgensen was one of many MLB players named in the Mitchell Report.{{Cite web |last=Mycoskie |first=Chris |date=December 13, 2007 |title=Pettitte, Jorgensen Named in Mitchell Report |url=http://www.fox44.com/sports/12494641.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218000742/http://www.fox44.com/sports/12494641.html |archive-date=December 18, 2007 |access-date=December 18, 2007 |website=WGMB-TV}}

Jorgensen signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins for the {{Baseball year|2008}} season and was assigned to Triple-A Rochester, where he began play at the conclusion of his suspension. He was called up to the majors after the September 1 roster expansions.{{Cite web |last=Gleeman |first=Aaron |date=September 4, 2008 |title=Meet the September call-ups |url=https://www.minnpost.com/sports/2008/09/meet-september-call-ups/ |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=MinnPost |language=en-US}} Jorgensen appeared in two games with the Twins as a defensive replacement, going 0-for-1.

On November 19, 2008, Jorgensen signed with the Cincinnati Reds. However, he announced his retirement before the start of spring training.{{cite web |title=Transactions |url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/team/transactions.jsp?c_id=cin&year=2009&month=2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194315/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/team/transactions.jsp?c_id=cin&year=2009&month=2 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=March 3, 2016 |website=Cincinnati Reds |publisher=MLB.com}}