Earlier today the Minnesota Twins announced that former 2017 Gary SouthShore RailCat, Ryan Fitzgerald was selected to join the Major League club in Milwaukee to face the Brewers.
Fitzgerald is from Hinsdale, Illinois and attended Creighton University where he was selected to the second-team All-Big East in his junior season. In 2016 he went unselected in the draft, but the next year he signed with the RailCats for his rookie season.
That year he played in 84 games and hit seven home runs, drove in 20 runs, and collected eight stolen bases. It was his only year with the team as the Boston Red Sox signed Fitzgerald in May 2018. The infielder was in the Red Sox system from 2018 until 2024, staying in Triple-A Worcester for three seasons.
Last year Fitzgerald was in Triple-A Omaha in the Kansas City Royals organization. This past offseason he signed a minor league deal with the Twins and was sent to Triple-A St. Paul. Fitzgerald was tearing the cover off the ball in his first 34 games. Slashing at a .336/.431/.541 and a .972 OPS. In addition, Fitzgerald had 11 doubles, one triple, and blasted four home runs.
He becomes the first former RailCat to reach the big leagues since Nathan Haynes was called up to the Los Angeles Angels in 2007 after 31 games as RailCat in 2006. Fitzgerald went 0-3 after coming for Willi Castro in the third inning.
