Royals’ Cole Ragans once wondered if his MLB career was over. Lately, he looks like an ace
Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans didn’t know if his baseball career would continue.
In 2019, Ragans was close to returning from Tommy John surgery. He had spent the last 14 months recovering after he first felt left-elbow discomfort during a 2018 spring training intrasquad game. At the time, Ragans was the No. 4 prospect in the Texas Rangers’ minor-league system.
Ragans, now 25, was on the mend and eager to step on the mound again.
However, he felt more discomfort in a throwing program during his rehab. He sought further evaluation from doctors, and it was determined he needed a second procedure.
“I was at 14 months and I blew out again,” Ragans said.
Ragans, who was selected in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, had great expectations. He already reached Single-A and posted a 3.61 ERA in 13 starts before the first Tommy John Surgery.
Now, he was back to square one. Ragans underwent a second Tommy John surgery in May of 2019.
A lot of things went through his mind. Ragans wondered if he would ever be able to pitch again. Those thoughts quickly shifted to whether his MLB career was over.
“I had a heck of a support group in my family,” Ragans said. “My wife stuck by my side and pushed me to be better every single day. I wouldn’t have made it through it without her.”
Four years later, Ragans is writing a new chapter with the Royals. He overcame two Tommy John surgeries, was named the 2022 Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year and is now making his name in a new organization.
The Royals acquired Ragans in one of their first notable transactions under a new regime. Ragans was the centerpiece in the Aroldis Chapman trade to the Rangers.
The entire sequence was a case of the Royals taking advantage of a more transactional roster approach. They took a flier on the veteran Chapman, 35, knowing he was motivated to prove himself on a one-year deal, and that they likely couldn’t have acquired him if not for a disappointing 2022.
Likewise, he was a logical trade candidate at the deadline if things went well. And evidently his first half of the season was enough for the Royals to land value back.
That value?
Ragans has a 1.02 ERA with the Royals. He has made three starts and posted a career-high 11 strikeouts against the Boston Red Sox. Only three Royals left-handed starters have recorded more strikeouts in a game.
“He has got big stuff,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He is a guy that will be able to get through a lineup three or maybe four times. He has four pitches and can throw them all in the zone. He can get a swing and miss on all of them.”
So how did the Royals acquire, and perhaps rediscover, Ragans? Start with the scouting department.
Royals’ evaluation took note of one big positive
Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney heard one central theme from opposing teams when discussing Ragans’ rise in the organization.
The theme was simply: Ragans is a force to be reckoned with.
Sweeney said the Royals did their homework on Ragans. They evaluated his entire makeup prior to acquiring him from the Rangers. The process took a couple of days, as the Royals studied different domains.
The Royals explored his medicals, strength and conditioning, nutrition and mental health. The organization also utilized sports-science data and explored his pitching delivery. The process gave the organization a complete evaluation of Ragans as an athlete and person.
Next, the Royals dived into his pitching arsenal and plan of attack. Previously, Ragans has thrown a four-seam fastball, changeup, cutter, slider and curveball.
Perhaps most importantly, the Royals noticed an increase in Ragans’ fastball velocity.
His fastball jumped from 92.1 mph in 2022 to 96.2 mph this season. Ragans ranks in the 89th percentile in fastball spin, per Baseball Savant. As a result, Royals general manager J.J. Picollo and his staff came to a decision. The consensus was Ragans was the guy to pursue.
“There is some risk,” Picollo said at the time of the trade. “What we have seen is an uptick in velocity. He threw 134 innings last year. He is well removed from the second Tommy John, which is a great sign.”
Ragans has exceeded expectations. Sweeney said that Ragans posted one of the best “Expected Fielding Independent Pitching” scores against the Red Sox. The metric is a statistic the Royals use to evaluate their pitchers and focuses more on areas pitchers can control — strikeouts, walks, hit-by-pitches and home runs — as compared to other metrics that may vary depending on fielding.
“It was one of the better game scores on the year for our starters in the Royals organization,” Sweeney said.
Those types of performances have been a work in progress.
Getting (a lot) stronger
Ragans credits his success to a renewed offseason training. He began working with Tread Athletics in Charlotte, North Carolina. The facility has helped pitchers such as MLB All-Stars Josh Hader, Mitch Keller and Clay Holmes among others.
This offseason, Ragans began doing remote workouts. He got detailed training plans from Tread Athletics and worked with instructors three to four times a week. During the season, he also does workouts twice a week.
“I invested in myself to just go all out with it,” Ragans said. “I am going to do it down to a ‘T’ and see where it takes me.”
The training focused on improving his hip and ankle mobility. Ragans did specific routines that also included T-Spine (upper-middle back area) rotation and “scapular mobility” in his shoulders.
Ragans got stronger as a result. He put on additional weight and worked to be more explosive to help his pitching delivery.
“I tried to get as strong as I possibly could,” Ragans said. “Once I got strong, I went into a speed phase and tried to move the weight as fast as I possibly could.”
The speed phase included a medley of back squats, front squats, box squats, deadlifts and dumbbell exercises. Ragans also started using weighted balls for the first time to add additional strength and agility.
Ragans’ offseason work has translated on the mound. His fastball has not only seen a velocity jump — his other pitches have been sharpened.
“You command your fastball, all the off-speed is going to play off of that,” Ragans said. “It’s how you are going to get more chase with everything when you are in the (strike) zone.”
Royals catcher Freddy Fermin has noticed a difference as well. He remembers seeing Ragans in Double-A ball during the 2021 season. After working with Ragans this season, Fermin paid him the ultimate compliment.
“You are nasty,” Fermin told Ragans.
Fermin is excited about what the duo could accomplish. He was behind the plate during Ragans’ 11-strikeout performance and believes they will continue to build confidence with each start.
“He is amazing,” Fermin said. He has good stuff and he executes his pitches. Good for him and he is a nice guy. He’s got to continue what he is doing.”
A new frontier
Ragans hopes to solidify a long-term spot with the Royals in what owner John Sherman has termed a “season of evaluation,” where an influx of prospects are receiving playing time.
The Royals are also dealing with injuries to veteran pitchers Zack Greinke, Daniel Lynch IV, Kris Bubic and Brad Keller. It has created an opportunity for young stars to develop.
“My goal when I step on the mound is to give my team a chance to win,” Ragans said.
The Royals are fresh off a seven-game winning streak. Ragans played a big role in helping the starting rotation turn in quality starts. He is making a case to earn a long-term role in the rotation moving forward.
“I think he is very prepared and has a good routine,” Royals reliever Dylan Coleman said. “He seems to be more consistent mixing up his pitches lately. It looks like he is getting more comfortable.”
Ragans welcomes the comfort of playing baseball again. He doesn’t take any moment for granted due to his injuries in the past.
The Royals presented him with a chance to elevate his game and Ragans is ready to make good on their belief in him.
“Every day I get to play baseball and feel good,” Ragans said, “I enjoy the heck out of it.”
