Ryan Brasier Bio
Ryan David Brasier is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg), he throws and bats right-handed. Brasier has pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs, and also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. He is a two-time World Series champion, winning titles with the Red Sox in 2018 and the Dodgers in 2024.
Early Life and Background
Ryan David Brasier was born on August 26, 1987, and grew up in Texas. He attended S. H. Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he played for the school’s baseball team. Although Brasier is now known as a pitcher, he originally played catcher in high school because the team already featured other talented pitchers, including Chase Anderson. That early experience behind the plate gave him a detailed understanding of how pitchers attack hitters, a perspective that would later influence his own work on the mound.
After high school, Brasier enrolled at Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas, where he played college baseball during the 2006-07 seasons. His time at Weatherford helped him develop the foundation he needed to attract professional attention. In the 2007 Major League Baseball draft, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected him in the sixth round, marking the official start of his professional career.
Path to Baseball
Brasier began his professional journey within the Angels organization, working his way through the minor leagues from 2007 through 2013. He started with the Rookie League Orem Owlz and eventually climbed to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. In 2012, he posted a career-high 55 relief appearances with the Bees, recording 13 saves, a 7-3 record, and 54 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings pitched. That strong performance set the stage for his first taste of the major leagues.
The Angels promoted Brasier to the majors on May 1, 2013, and he made his MLB debut the following day against the Baltimore Orioles, allowing two runs on two hits in one inning of relief. His first major league strikeout came against Ryan Flaherty. After a brief return to the minors, he was recalled in September and finished the year with seven appearances, a 2.00 ERA, and seven strikeouts in nine innings. In 2014, however, he missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and was removed from the Angels’ 40-man roster that October. A minor league deal with the Oakland Athletics followed in 2015, but he spent most of that year rehabbing before pitching for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds in 2016.
Ryan Brasier Career
Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2017)
In December 2016, Brasier chose to take his career overseas, agreeing to have his contract sold to the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball. He made 26 relief appearances for the Carp in 2017, striking out 19 and walking eight while posting a 3.00 ERA in 30 innings. Brasier has credited his time in Japan with helping him refine his pitching mechanics, an adjustment that proved pivotal when he returned to the United States.
Boston Red Sox (2018-2023)
After a January 2018 showcase failed to generate immediate major league interest, Brasier signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox on March 4, 2018. He pitched in 46 games for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, recording a 3.71 ERA with 70 strikeouts and earning a spot in the Triple-A All-Star Game. Boston promoted him on July 8, and he made his Red Sox debut the next day, retiring the side in order against the Texas Rangers. He notched his first MLB win on August 30 against the Chicago White Sox and finished the year with a 1.60 ERA in 34 appearances, earning the Red Sox’ Lou Gorman Award. He went on to make nine postseason appearances, allowing just one earned run in 8 2/3 innings as Boston captured the 2018 World Series.
Brasier remained a key member of the Red Sox bullpen through several seasons. In 2019, he appeared in 62 games, posting a 2-4 record with seven saves and a 4.85 ERA. The 2020 COVID-19 shortened season saw him appear in 25 games with a 3.96 ERA, and he agreed to a one-year deal for 2021. That year was disrupted by a calf injury and a frightening incident in June 2021 when he was hospitalized after being hit in the head by a line drive during a simulated game in Fort Myers, Florida. He returned in September and finished 2021 with a 1.50 ERA in 13 regular-season appearances before making seven more relief outings in the postseason as Boston advanced to the American League Championship Series. His 2022 season saw a 5.78 ERA in 68 relief appearances, and after a difficult 2023 in which he posted a 7.29 ERA, the Red Sox designated him for assignment on May 14 and released him on May 21.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2023-2024)
Brasier signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 5, 2023, and was selected to the major league roster on June 20 after two scoreless outings for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers. He pitched 38 2/3 innings over 39 games with a sparkling 0.70 ERA and also allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings in the 2023 NLDS. The Dodgers re-signed him to a two-year, $9 million contract on February 8, 2024, but a right calf strain limited him to 29 games and a 3.54 ERA in the regular season. He returned in time for the postseason and worked across the 2024 NLDS, NLCS, and World Series, allowing one run in two innings as the Dodgers won the Fall Classic. He was designated for assignment by Los Angeles on January 30, 2025.
Chicago Cubs (2025)
On February 4, 2025, the Dodgers traded Brasier to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. He joined a Chicago bullpen looking for late-inning experience and postseason pedigree, giving the Cubs another veteran arm for the 2025 season.
2025 Season Performance
After being traded to the Chicago Cubs in February 2025, Brasier opened the year working out of the Cubs bullpen, providing veteran relief depth alongside a young core of Chicago relievers. His prior track record, including a sub-1.00 ERA with the Dodgers in 2023 and two World Series rings, gave the club a proven late-inning option heading into the regular season.
Brasier’s role with the Cubs centered on middle and late relief, where his experience and strike-throwing ability fit the team’s competitive window in the National League Central. Following the trade and his release from the Dodgers earlier in the year, he entered 2025 as a bounce-back candidate aiming to recapture the form he showed in Los Angeles. His outlook beyond 2025 remained tied to performance, with free agency approaching once the season concludes.