Like father…like son? Kind of.
Ryan Ripken’s .205 batting average through parts of three minor league seasons is a far cry from the legacy his famous father left in Baltimore, but, apparently…it was a enough for the team to give the 22-year-old a shot.
Friday, the Orioles announced they had signed Cal’s son, a first baseman, to a minor league contract.
“Ryan’s a guy we had some interest in coming out of the draft; obviously, not just because he was Cal’s son,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “He’s a big, strong kid. We had some good reports on him and we’re looking forward to giving him an opportunity.”
But let’s not pretend…being Cal’s kid does help.
“Without a doubt. That’s the human being part of it, but this is a baseball move. Whether he was Cal’s son or not, we would have signed him,” Showalter added. “We’re excited about getting him in. That’s just an added plus. Obviously, his pedigree is really, really good.”
The Washington Nationals selected Ripken in the 15th round of the 2014 draft. Since then, the junior Junior managed just three home runs and knocked in 48 in 145 minor league games. He was let go by the organization this spring.
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