Cole Ragans

Cole Ragans's Biography

Cole Gatlin Ragans was born on December 12, 1997, in the United States. Now a widely recognized figure in Major League Baseball (MLB), he holds the position of a professional pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. Before his move to the Royals, Ragans played for Texas Rangers, placing a significant mark on his MLB journey.

Ragans’ foray into the world of Baseball began in high school. He was a student at North Florida Christian High School in Tallahassee, Florida, where he displayed noteworthy potential on the baseball field. In his senior season, his overwhelming stats boasted a 9-0 winning ratio, a striking 0.90 ERA, and an astounding 104 strikeouts in 70 innings of play. He was highly sought after and committed to playing college baseball for the Florida State Seminoles.

Ragans’ professional career began in 2016 when he was drafted by the Texas Rangers as the 30th overall selection in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft that year. The emerging star signed with the Texas Rangers for a $2,003,400 signing bonus.

On joining the Texas Rangers, Ragans was assigned to the AZL Rangers of the Arizona League. He displayed impressive stats by posting a 4.70 ERA in 7+2⁄3 innings. The next year, he joined the Spokane Indians of the Class A Short Season Northwest League, where he sustained his hot form, recording a 3-2 record combined with a 3.61 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 57+1⁄3 innings.

Unfortunately, Ragans encountered a significant setback in his career in March 2018. He had to go through a Tommy John surgery that resulted in him missing the 2018 season. His unfortunate streak continued when in May 2019, during his rehabilitation process, he suffered a tear in his surgically repaired left elbow, warranting yet another Tommy John surgery. This resulted in him missing the 2019 season as well.

The 2020 Minor League Baseball season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, further derailing Ragans’ professional career. However, he made a strong comeback in 2021, starting the season with the Hickory Crawdads of High-A East. During this time, he was also chosen to play in the All-Star Futures Game.

Seeing his dominating form, Ragans was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Central in July 2021, having demonstrated an impressive 1–2 record with a 3.25 ERA, and a total of 54 strikeouts over 44+1⁄3 innings.

Ragans began the 2022 season with a bang. Performing with the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, he delivered a 3–2 record with a 3.32 ERA and 48 strikeouts over 43+1⁄3 innings. Owing to his exceptional performance, he was named the Texas Rangers 2022 Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year.

On August 4, 2022, Texas Rangers called Ragans to their active roster. He made his major league debut versus the Chicago White Sox where he allowed one unearned run over five innings and bagged three strikeouts. However, his time with Rangers was coming to a close.

On June 30, 2023, Ragans was traded to the Kansas City Royals, along with minor league outfielder Roni Cabrera, in exchange for Aroldis Chapman. A shift to the Royals brought improved performances: within his first 47 innings, Ragans’ performance improved remarkably.

In 2024, Ragans soared higher than ever. This year marked his selection into his first All-Star Game, thanks to his 3.28 ERA in 19 starts. Ragans made history on September 6 in a game where he became the fifth pitcher in Royals history to achieve 200 strikeouts in a single season. This list of elite pitchers includes Zack Greinke in 2009, Kevin Appier in 1996, Dennis Leonard in 1977, and Bob Johnson in 1970.

Overall, Cole Ragans’s journey in professional baseball signifies a story of sheer determination and resilience, overcoming physical setbacks, and leaving behind an inspiring legacy.