Ryan Ramsey was dominant in his limited sample last season. Although an injury put him on the shelf for much of his debut season, he returned strongly to Columbia and set the Fireflies franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings. Ramsey’s first Low-A start went four innings and he allowed a single earned run. That was on April 15 and he didn’t allow another earned run for the Fireflies until August 5. He fell to the 13th round in 2022, but the Maryland product looks to be a strong addition to a farm system needing improved pitching production.

Season Stats:

2023 (Low-A): 7 G, 33.1 IP, 0.54 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 29.5 % K%, 7.8% BB%

2023 (High-A): 5 G, 14.1 IP, 10.67 ERA, 2.74 FIP, 27.8% K%, 12.7% BB%

2024 (High-A): 19 G, 74.1 IP, 2.30 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 27.6% K%, 8.8% BB%

Don’t let the sky-high ERA fool you. Ryan Ramsey was just as good at High-A as in Columbia last season. With such a small sample, the ERA is flukey but his FIP mark shows positive signs. The most surprising mark from Ramsey was his strikeout rate last season. He hovered around 30% for nearly the entire season and didn’t walk many hitters. As good as the results were, it’s important to take them for what they are. Ramsey is a college product pitching in Low-A for the first time. He was advanced for the level and should give us a clearer picture of who he really is in 2024 and beyond.

If what he’s done in 2024 is any indication, Ramsey is a true prospect of note in the Royals farm system. He’s continued where he left off last season in Davenport, posting impressive strikeout totals and an excellent ability to limit hard contact. Ramsey has improved his walk rate compared to a year ago and has put together one of the best seasons in the entire system in 2024. Ramsey ranks top three in the system in FIP, K-BB%, and swinging strike rate. He also ranks second in all of affiliated baseball in hard-hit rate. Ramsey’s fastball has found even more life in 2024, offering good carry up in the strikezone and an enhanced ability to miss bats.

Scouting Grades:

Fastball: 50/55

Curveball: 45/50

Changeup: 45/50

Command: 50/55

Best Case Scenario

A year ago, I wrote the following:

“I remain optimistic about Ramsey’s future. He’s a good lefty, but the results will have to translate to the upper minor leagues for me to truly believe in a starter upside. If he can continue to improve his stuff, there’s the potential for a back-end starter. More likely, I expect that Ramsey can develop into a nice mid-inning reliever akin to what J.P. Howell was for more than a decade in the major leagues.”

Ramsey has yet to find his way to Double-A, but the stuff looks improved in High-A this season. The Royals tend not to promote arms to Northwest Arkansas until they feel the stuff has improved enough. Ramsey looks to be at that point now and ripe for a promotion to Springdale. The entire arsenal looks better compared to a year ago.

Worst Case Scenario

A year ago, I had concerns about Ramsey’s future if the arsenal didn’t continue to take steps forward. Now, with just a month remaining in 2024, Ramsey has taken his arsenal much further. He’s made his fastball better and has shown that his improved command in 2023 wasn’t a fluke. He continues to hit his spots. There’s a worst-case scenario for Ramsey that finds him as a depth arm still offering some bullpen upside at the big league level. Tyson Guerrero did a similar thing last season with the River Bandits but fell off some in 2024 for the Naturals. Ramsey has implemented a cutter in 2024 but needs to continue implementing that pitch as a regular force in his arsenal in order to get lefties out consistently in the upper minor leagues.