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Ryan Church
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Ryan Matthew Church (born October 14, 1978) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Key Information
Career
[edit]Minors
[edit]Drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 14th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft, Church signed June 7, 2000, after graduation from the University of Nevada, Reno. By January 2004, he was traded by the Indians with Maicer Izturis to the Montreal Expos for Scott Stewart.
Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals
[edit]
Church made his major league debut for the Expos in August 2004, struggling in the 30 games he played in the last two months of the season. He ended the season with a .187 batting average.
After struggling in the first month of the 2005 season Church was considered a candidate for the Rookie of the Year Award, until he injured himself running into the outfield wall at PNC Park on June 22, 2005. At the time of the incident, Church was batting .325 with a .544 slugging percentage. After the incident, Church made two trips to the disabled list and was unable to match his hitting performance from the first half of the season.
In 2006, Church was demoted to Triple-A New Orleans after struggling early in the year. However, Church was sent back to the majors on July 23, and ended up hitting .276 with a career best 10 home runs and .892 OPS. His 10 home runs in just 196 at-bats in 2006 projects to around 30 home runs for an entire season.
In 2007, Church had career highs in games (144), at bats (470), runs (57), hits (128), doubles (43), home runs (15), and RBI (70). He finished the year batting .272, slugging .464 and a .813 OPS.
New York Mets
[edit]After the 2007 season, Church was mentioned in trade talks, with the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Minnesota Twins all reportedly interested in his services. However, on November 30, 2007, Church was traded, along with Brian Schneider, to the New York Mets for Lastings Milledge.[1]
In spring training 2008, Church was involved in a collision with first baseman Marlon Anderson that resulted in a Grade 2 concussion for Church. He recovered without any serious injuries. On May 20, 2008, Church suffered a minor concussion while sliding into Atlanta Braves shortstop Yunel Escobar. It appeared as though when Church initially slid, his head made contact with Escobar's right knee. After Church struck his head, he slid about eight feet past second base with his forehead dragging on the dirt. Church made his return to the starting lineup on June 1, 2008, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, collecting three hits including a home run and a double. However, he was placed on the disabled list with aftereffects of the concussion. On September 3, Church had his second career grand slam, off Dave Bush. On September 28, Church made the final out in Shea Stadium history in a 4–2 Mets loss.
Atlanta Braves
[edit]On July 10, 2009, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Jeff Francoeur,[2] but was designated for assignment on December 8, 2009, in order to make room for the return of Rafael Soriano.[3]
On December 12, 2009, the Braves decided to non-tender Church, making him a free agent.
Pittsburgh Pirates
[edit]On January 11, 2010, Church agreed to a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Arizona Diamondbacks
[edit]On July 31, 2010, Church, Bobby Crosby and D. J. Carrasco were traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Chris Snyder and Pedro Ciriaco. He was non-tendered following the 2010 season, despite a .265/.345/.490 line in 55 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks.
Controversy
[edit]In 2005, the Nationals suspended Jon Moeller, a volunteer chaplain, and issued an apology after Church, a devout Christian, revealed conversations he had with him about a Jewish former girlfriend. Church told the Washington Post that the chaplain nodded when he asked whether Jews were "doomed" because they "don't believe in Jesus." After Jewish community leaders complained, Church issued a statement saying, "I am not the type of person who would call into question the religious beliefs of others."[4]
References
[edit]- Notes
- ^ Noble, Marty (November 30, 2007). "Mets land Church, Schneider from Nats". MLB.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013.
- ^ Odum, Charles; Bublitz, Dale (July 10, 2009). "Mets trade OF Church to Braves for OF Francoeur". San Diego Union-Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ O Brien, David (December 8, 2009). "Braves drop Church to open spot for Soriano". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ Nightengale, Bob (June 1, 2006). "Baseball's Rockies seek revival on two levels". USA Today. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
External links
[edit]
- Career statistics from MLB · ESPN · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
Ryan Church
View on GrokipediaEarly life and amateur career
Youth and high school
Ryan Church was born on October 14, 1978, in Santa Barbara, California.[6][7] In his youth in Lompoc, California, Church distinguished himself as a left-handed pitcher in Little League baseball.[8] Church attended Lompoc High School, from which he graduated in 1996, participating in baseball, football, and basketball during his tenure there.[7] In high school baseball, he continued as a pitcher and earned recruitment to the University of Nevada specifically for that role due to his strong performances.[8]College baseball
Church attended the University of Nevada from 1997 to 2000, initially recruited as a left-handed pitcher before transitioning to the outfield following an arm injury.[9][8] He pitched in all four seasons for the Nevada Wolf Pack, compiling an 8-8 record with 8 saves over 39 appearances (26 starts).[10] As a batter, Church posted a career .364 average, ranking seventh in program history.[10] In 1999, his junior year, Church earned second-team All-Big West Conference honors while batting .363 with 18 runs batted in over 30 games.[10][11] As a senior in 2000, he received first-team All-Big West recognition, hitting .382 with 14 home runs and 62 RBI.[10] That season contributed to Nevada's Big West championship and NCAA Regional appearance, marking the third such postseason qualification for Church during his tenure (1997, 1999, and 2000).[10] Following the 2000 season, Church was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 14th round (426th overall) of the MLB June Amateur Draft.[6][12]Professional career
Minor league career
Church was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 14th round (426th overall) of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft out of the University of Nevada, Reno, and signed with the organization on June 7, 2000.[7][13] He began his professional career that summer with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York–Penn League (Short-Season A), where he hit .298 with 10 home runs and 65 RBIs in 73 games.[13] In 2001, Church split time between the Single-A Columbus Redstlegs (South Atlantic League), batting .287 with 17 home runs and 76 RBIs in 101 games, and the High-A Kinston Indians (Carolina League), where he posted a .241 average with 5 home runs and 15 RBIs in 24 games.[13] He advanced further in 2002, starting at Kinston (.326 average, 10 home runs, 30 RBIs in 53 games) before a promotion to the Double-A Akron Aeros (Eastern League), with whom he hit .296 and recorded 12 home runs and 51 RBIs in 71 games.[13] Returning to Akron in 2003, he batted .261 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs across 99 games.[13] On January 5, 2004, the Indians traded Church and infielder Maicer Izturis to the Montreal Expos for relief pitcher Scott Stewart.[14] Church spent the 2004 season with the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers (Pacific Coast League), delivering a breakout performance of .343/.417/.574 with 17 home runs and 78 RBIs in 98 games, earning a major league call-up to the Expos in August.[13] Following his major league debut, Church made limited minor league appearances with Washington Nationals affiliates after the Expos relocated. In 2005, he played 4 games for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators (Eastern League), hitting .278.[13] The next year, he appeared in 5 games at Harrisburg (.211, 2 home runs) and 53 games with the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast League), batting .246 with 7 home runs and 29 RBIs.[13] After being traded to the New York Mets in November 2007, Church had brief rehab assignments in 2008 across Mets affiliates: 2 games each with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Mets (.167), Short-Season A Brooklyn Cyclones (.500), Double-A Binghamton Mets (.000), and Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs (.200).[13]Washington Nationals era
Church debuted in Major League Baseball with the Montreal Expos on August 21, 2004, appearing in 30 games with a .175 batting average, one home run, and six RBIs before the franchise relocated and rebranded as the Washington Nationals for the 2005 season.[6][7] In 2005, Church established himself as a regular outfielder for the Nationals, playing 102 games and posting a .287 batting average with nine home runs and 42 RBIs; his season was interrupted in late August by a fractured right pinkie toe, leading to a placement on the 15-day disabled list.[6][7][15] Church's 2006 campaign with the Nationals was limited to 71 games due to injuries, though he demonstrated power with a .276 average, 10 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a career-high .892 OPS, including a strong second half where he batted .276 with 17 doubles and 10 home runs across those contests.[6][7] The 2007 season marked Church's most productive year with Washington, as he played a career-high 144 games, achieved 3.3 wins above replacement, hit .272 with 15 home runs and 70 RBIs, and recorded 43 doubles and 128 hits; on November 15, 2007, the Nationals traded him to the New York Mets for outfielder Lastings Milledge.[6][7]New York Mets tenure
The New York Mets acquired Church from the Washington Nationals on November 30, 2007, along with catcher Brian Schneider, in exchange for outfielder Lastings Milledge.[16][17] Church entered the 2008 season on a one-year, $2 million contract.[18] Church's 2008 campaign was marred by multiple concussions, the first occurring on March 1 during spring training when he collided with teammate Marlon Anderson while pursuing a popup.[19] A second concussion followed on May 20, sustained when his head struck the knee of Atlanta Braves second baseman Kelly Johnson while sliding into second base.[20] These injuries resulted in extended absences, including a disabled list stint from June 6 to June 29 for post-concussion syndrome and another in early July for persistent migraines and brain "swishing" sensations.[21][22] Despite the health setbacks, which limited him to 83 games, Church posted a .276 batting average with 12 home runs and 49 RBIs.[23] On September 28, 2008, he recorded the final out at Shea Stadium, flying out to left field against Florida Marlins pitcher Matt Lindstrom in a 4-2 Mets loss.[24] Ahead of 2009, Church and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $2.8 million deal on January 20, avoiding arbitration.[25] He appeared in 67 games that year, batting .280 with 2 home runs and 22 RBIs, before a right hamstring strain sidelined him from May 23 to June 7.[26][27] On July 10, the Mets traded Church to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Jeff Francoeur.[28]Later MLB teams
On July 10, 2009, the New York Mets traded Church to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for outfielder Jeff Francoeur.[14] With the Braves, Church appeared in 44 games, batting .260 with 20 runs scored, 33 hits including 12 doubles and 2 home runs, and 18 RBIs, while posting an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .749.[29] The Braves designated him for assignment on December 8, 2009.[7] Church signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a free agent on January 13, 2010, with performance bonuses.[18] In 50 games with Pittsburgh before the trade deadline, he struggled offensively, hitting .182 with 16 runs, 31 hits (11 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs), 18 RBIs, and an OPS of .552.[30] On July 31, 2010, the Pirates traded Church to the Arizona Diamondbacks.[7] In 37 games with Arizona, he performed better, batting .265 with 9 runs, 13 hits (5 doubles, 2 home runs), 7 RBIs, and an OPS of .835.[31] The Diamondbacks non-tendered him on December 2, 2010, after which he did not return to MLB.[14]Performance analysis
Playing style
Ryan Church was a versatile outfielder known for his defensive reliability and gap power at the plate. He possessed a solid all-around toolset, including the ability to play all three outfield positions, though he was best suited for right field due to his above-average throwing arm, which allowed him to make accurate and strong throws from the deeper positions.[9] His speed was slightly below average, limiting his range in center field but not hindering his effectiveness in the corners.[9] As a left-handed batter, Church exhibited consistent contact skills against right-handed pitching, often spraying line drives and doubles into the gaps for moderate extra-base production, as evidenced by his 43 doubles in 2007, which ranked eighth in the National League.[32] However, he struggled against left-handed pitchers, posting weaker on-base percentages and slugging numbers in those matchups, which restricted his platoon versatility and led analysts to recommend benching him in left-on-left situations.[18] His overall hitting profile emphasized on-base ability (.340 career OBP projection when healthy) over high strikeout rates, complemented by occasional home run power, typically in the 10-15 range per full season.[33] Church's defensive value was a cornerstone of his utility, with scouts praising his instincts and arm strength for preventing runners from advancing, contributing to his reputation as an above-average defender in right field during his peak years with the Washington Nationals and New York Mets.[18][34] Injuries, including concussions, occasionally disrupted his consistency, but when healthy, his style aligned with a classic "fourth outfielder" archetype: dependable glove work and situational hitting without elite offensive upside.[35]Career statistics and highlights
Church batted .264 with a .762 on-base plus slugging percentage over 654 major league games from 2004 to 2010, recording 500 hits, 56 home runs, 251 runs scored, and 267 runs batted in while playing primarily as an outfielder for five teams.[6][7]| Year | Team | G | AB | H | HR | RBI | BA | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | MON | 30 | 63 | 11 | 1 | 6 | .175 | .495 |
| 2005 | WSN | 102 | 268 | 77 | 9 | 42 | .287 | .820 |
| 2006 | WSN | 71 | 196 | 54 | 10 | 35 | .276 | .891 |
| 2007 | WSN | 144 | 470 | 128 | 15 | 70 | .272 | .813 |
| 2008 | NYM | 90 | 319 | 88 | 12 | 49 | .276 | .785 |
| 2009 | NYM/ATL | 111 | 359 | 98 | 4 | 40 | .273 | .722 |
| 2010 | PIT/ARI | 106 | 219 | 44 | 5 | 25 | .201 | .616 |