Ryan Feltner Bio
Ryan Donald Feltner (born September 2, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). A starting pitcher who relies on a deep repertoire, he has spent his entire MLB career with Colorado after working through the organization’s minor league system. Feltner made his major league debut in 2021 and has been a regular member of the Rockies’ pitching staff since 2022.
Drafted out of Ohio State University in 2018, Feltner has experienced both promising stretches and difficult setbacks in the big leagues, including a frightening head injury in 2023. He continues to develop as a front-end rotation option for Colorado.
Early Life and Background
Ryan Donald Feltner was born on September 2, 1996, and grew up in Ohio. He attended Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where he starred on the baseball team as a pitcher. During his senior season in 2015, his performance on the mound established him as one of the top high school arms in the state.
That year, Feltner was named the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year for Ohio and was also recognized as The Plain Dealer Baseball Pitcher of the Year. His success in high school drew the attention of professional scouts, and he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 25th round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. Rather than sign with Toronto, Feltner opted to continue his baseball development at the collegiate level.
Path to Baseball
Following his high school career, Feltner enrolled at Ohio State University, where he played three seasons of college baseball for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He developed into a reliable starter during his time in the Big Ten Conference, sharpening his command and pitch arsenal against top college hitters.
In the summer of 2016, Feltner played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League, one of the most prestigious wooden-bat leagues in the country. He returned to the Cape Cod League in 2017, this time with the Bourne Braves, where he was selected as a league all-star. After his junior year at Ohio State, the Colorado Rockies drafted Feltner in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB draft, and he signed with the organization to begin his professional career.
Ryan Feltner Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Feltner made his professional debut in 2019 with the Grand Junction Rockies of the Pioneer League before being assigned to the Asheville Tourists of the South Atlantic League later that season. He worked his way through Colorado’s minor league pipeline as a starting pitcher, building innings and refining his secondary pitches.
The 2020 minor league season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing Feltner from appearing in any official games that year. Despite the lost development time, he remained on the Rockies’ radar as a prospect moving into 2021.
Major League Debut and First Seasons (2021–2022)
Feltner began the 2021 season with the Spokane Indians of the High-A West League before earning a promotion to the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats. On September 5, 2021, Colorado selected his contract to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues. That same day, he made his MLB debut against the Atlanta Braves, a game in which Ozzie Albies hit a solo home run off Feltner’s first major league pitch. Feltner took the loss after allowing six earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of a 9-2 defeat.
In 2022, Feltner became a more permanent fixture in the Rockies’ rotation, making 20 appearances with 19 starts. He finished the year with a 4-9 record and a 5.83 ERA, recording 84 strikeouts across 97 1/3 innings pitched. While the results were uneven, the experience gave him a full season of major league innings.
Injury Setback and Return (2023)
Feltner’s 2023 season was interrupted by a frightening incident. On May 13, 2023, in a start against the Philadelphia Phillies, he was hit in the head by a 92.7-mph line drive off the bat of Nick Castellanos. The impact resulted in a skull fracture and a concussion, forcing him off the mound. He was placed on the 60-day injured list on May 29, 2023.
Following a lengthy recovery, Feltner was activated from the injured list on September 19, 2023. He returned to the rotation down the stretch and finished the year with a 2-4 record and a 5.82 ERA across 10 starts, striking out 38 batters in 43 1/3 innings pitched.
Rotation Stability (2024)
Feltner took a significant step forward in 2024, taking the ball as a regular member of Colorado’s starting rotation. He made 30 starts for the Rockies, logging 162 1/3 innings and striking out 138 batters. He posted a 3-10 record with a 4.49 ERA, providing the team with a dependable innings-eater for much of the season.
2025 Season
Feltner began the 2025 season pitching out of Colorado’s starting rotation. Over his first six starts, he recorded an 0-2 record with a 4.75 ERA and 25 strikeouts. On May 2, 2025, he was placed on the injured list due to back spasms, and on June 15, 2025, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Feltner was activated from the injured list on July 4, 2025, and was subsequently optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to continue building back his workload.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a starting pitcher, Feltner is built on the ability to absorb innings and compete deep into games. He relies on a varied pitch mix and has shown the durability needed to handle a full major league rotation. His experience navigating lineups across multiple seasons has made him a steady presence in Colorado’s staff.
Notable Events and Milestones
Feltner’s MLB debut on September 5, 2021, included one of the more memorable first pitches in recent memory, as Ozzie Albies homered on the opening offering. His recovery from a 2023 skull fracture and his 30-start, 162-inning workload in 2024 stand as defining markers of his resilience and development as a major league pitcher.
Ryan Feltner Career Wins
Ryan Donald Feltner has built his career primarily as a starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies, and his win totals reflect his role as a regular rotation member in recent seasons. His win totals are tracked in three major league seasons and several minor league stops with affiliates including Grand Junction, Asheville, Spokane, Hartford, and Albuquerque.
MLB Highlights
Across his major league seasons, Feltner has recorded 9 wins in 79 appearances. He has been a consistent part of Colorado’s rotation since 2022, and his 30-start workload in 2024 was a personal high in innings pitched. While he has not yet posted a winning record in a full MLB season, his durability and strikeout totals have established him as a key piece of the Rockies’ pitching staff.
2025 Season Performance
Feltner’s 2025 season has been a study in perseverance. He opened the year in the Rockies’ rotation, posting a 4.75 ERA over his first six starts while striking out 25 batters, but he did not record a decision over that stretch. On May 2, 2025, he was placed on the injured list with back spasms, and the issue persisted long enough that he was transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 15, 2025.
Following his activation on July 4, 2025, the Rockies optioned Feltner to Triple-A Albuquerque to rebuild his arm strength and pitch count. The move gave the organization a clearer timeline for his return to the major league rotation while limiting the risk of further injury setbacks.
Looking ahead, Feltner remains a candidate to rejoin Colorado’s starting five later in the 2025 season once he has accumulated enough innings at Triple-A. His health and performance in the second half of 2025 will likely shape his standing in the Rockies’ long-term rotation plans.