Quick Facts
Biography
Ryan C. Tucker (born December 6, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher.
Career
Florida Marlins
He graduated from Temple City High School, where he was a third team High School All-American, and was selected by the Florida Marlins with the 34th pick of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft. After spending his first three seasons in the low minors, he began 2008 with the AA Carolina Mudcats in the Southern League. He was in 25 games for the Mudcats, including 12 starts, and was 5-3 with a 1.58 ERA and was named the Marlins "minor league pitcher of the year" and also made the Southern League all-star team.
Tucker made his major league debut on June 8, 2008 for the Marlins against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing one run in five innings to pick up the win. In 6 appearances (3 starts) in 2008, he was 2-3 with an 8.27 ERA. He missed most of 2009 with injuries, including a knee surgery to repair a torn quad, and appeared in only 6 minor league games. He returned in 2010 to start for the class-AAA New Orleans Zephyrs and the class-A Jupiter Hammerheads, where he was 1-3 with a 6.00 ERA in 23 relief appearances.
Texas Rangers
On October 6, 2010, Tucker was claimed off waivers by the Texas Rangers. He had his contract purchased by Texas on April 27, 2011. He appeared in five games for the Rangers in 2011, working five innings of relief, with a 7.20 ERA. On August 30 he was released.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On November 16, 2011, Tucker was signed to a minor league contract, with a spring training invite, by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was assigned to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes.
He pitched in only 4 games for the Isotopes and spent much of the time on the disabled list, before having shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum on June 5, 2012. He was released on July 6, 2012. Tucker had a subsequent surgery on October 8, 2013 to repair a right shoulder SLAP tear with subacromial bursitis.