Ryan Michael Hanigan (born August 16, 1980) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
,
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
,
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, and
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
.
After graduating from
Andover High School in 1999, Hanigan attended
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private college in Winter Park, Florida. It was founded in November 1885 and has about 30 undergraduate majors and several graduate programs. It is Florida's fourth oldest post-secondary institution.
History
Rollins Colle ...
, where he signed as an undrafted
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
with the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. He then spent the 2002 to 2006 seasons with Reds
minor league baseball teams, including the
Dayton Dragons
The Dayton Dragons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Dayton, Ohio, and play their home games at Day Air Ballpark, formerly known as Fifth Third Field. In 2 ...
and
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, win ...
. He made his MLB debut in 2007. While with the Reds he caught two no hitters, both thrown by
Homer Bailey
David Dewitt "Homer" Bailey Jr. (born May 3, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds from 2007 through 2018, the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics in 2019 ...
.
Early life
Hanigan was born in Washington, D.C., to Mike and Helen Hanigan. He has an older sister named Hayley.
He played
American Legion Baseball for American Legion Post 8 in Andover.
At Andover High School, Hanigan was a three-year varsity starter, and was named an ''
Eagle-Tribune
''The Eagle-Tribune'' (and ''Sunday Eagle-Tribune'') is a seven-day morning daily newspaper covering the Merrimack Valley and Essex County, Massachusetts, and southern New Hampshire. It is the largest-circulation daily newspaper owned by Commun ...
'' and Eastern Massachusetts All-Star during his senior season, in which he hit .397.
From 1997 to 1998, the Andover team had a 38–9 record.
He was teammates with future professional golfer
Rob Oppenheim
Rob Oppenheim (born January 12, 1980) is an American professional golfer.
Early and personal life
Born in Salem, Massachusetts, his parents are Jim and Karen Oppenheim. Oppenheim played for the Andover High School golf team, where he made the ...
, and graduated from the school in 1999.
College career
After graduating from high school, Hanigan had a difficult time finding a college that would let him play baseball.
He attended
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private college in Winter Park, Florida. It was founded in November 1885 and has about 30 undergraduate majors and several graduate programs. It is Florida's fourth oldest post-secondary institution.
History
Rollins Colle ...
in
Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 30,183 according to the 2022 census population estimate. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Winter Park was fo ...
, where he played
third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
or
left field
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
because of an upperclassman at the
catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
position. During the summer in 2001, Hanigan played in the
New England Collegiate Baseball League
The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is a 13-team collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 44-game schedule during June ...
, where he hit .282 in 38 games.
[ Click on "Bio" for more information] In his junior year, he hit .384 with 48 RBIs over 57 games for Rollins,
as the team finished 41–16 and clinched a berth to the
NCAA Division II Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division II baseball tournament is an annual college baseball tournament held at the culmination of the spring regular season and which determines the NCAA Division II college baseball champion. The initial rounds of the tournament are ...
. Hanigan would have served as team captain his senior year; when he left Rollins, Hanigan's .359 career batting average was seventh best in school history.
In 2002, Hanigan played
collegiate summer baseball
Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...
in the
Cape Cod League
The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thousan ...
for
Orleans Cardinals
The Orleans Firebirds, formerly the Orleans Cardinals, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Orleans, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Firebirds play t ...
, where he was named the Top New England Prospect and an All-Star,
and was awarded the Charles F. Moore Sr. award for the most valuable player on the Cardinals team. John Brickley, a
scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
**Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
**Scouts BSA, sectio ...
for the Reds, signed him as a free agent on August 23, although six other teams "showed interest" in signing the catcher.
Professional career
Cincinnati Reds
In 2002, Hanigan began his career with the Reds' organization when he played in six minor league games for the
Dayton Dragons
The Dayton Dragons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Dayton, Ohio, and play their home games at Day Air Ballpark, formerly known as Fifth Third Field. In 2 ...
of the
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
, batting .273 with three
hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...
.
On April 28, 2003, in a game against the
Quad City River Bandits
Quad as a word or prefix usually means 'four'. It may refer to:
Government
* Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States
* Quadrilateral group, an informal group which inc ...
, he went 4–5 with three RBIs. Hanigan was named to the East squad in the Midwest League All-Star Game, where he served as the reserve catcher. Later in July, he was placed on the disabled list (DL) with a
high ankle sprain
A high ankle sprain, also known as a syndesmotic ankle sprain (SAS), is a sprain of the syndesmotic ligaments that connect the tibia and fibula in the lower leg, thereby creating a mortise and tenon joint for the ankle. High ankle sprains are desc ...
; up until then, he was hitting .283 with 26 RBIs. Hanigan finished the season batting .277 with a home run and 31 RBIs, which earned him a promotion to the
Triple-A Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, win ...
.
In one game for the Bats, he went 1–3.
Hanigan spent the entire 2004 season with the
Class A-Advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
Potomac Cannons
The Potomac Nationals were a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League. They were located in Woodbridge, Virginia, and played their home games at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium. After the 2019 season, the team relocated to F ...
, where he served as the team's catcher and
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
. From July 6 to July 29, he had a 22-game
hit streak, the longest in the
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
for the year.
On August 24, he hit in the game-winning run against the
Salem Avalanche
Salem may refer to: Places
Canada
Ontario
* Bruce County
** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie
** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce
* Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...
with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. For the season, Hanigan hit .296 with five home runs and 56 RBIs over 119 games as the Cannons made the Carolina League Northern Division playoffs for the first time since 1995.
The following season, Hanigan played for the
Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...
. On August 29, 2005, he hit a
grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
against the
West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx as the Lookouts lost, 10–12.
After the season, he was selected by the Reds to represent the organization in the
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fill ...
, and was a
non-roster invitee
A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...
to the Reds 2006
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
camp. In 2006, Hanigan appeared in 56 games for the Lookouts as well as eight games for the Bats. During a July 13, 2006 contest, Hanigan drove in what would be the winning run with two outs in the seventh inning against the
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a Minor League Baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and plays at Regions Field in downtown Birmingham. The current ...
. For the season, he hit .246 for the Lookouts and .154 for the Bats.
Playing for the Lookouts, Hanigan was selected to the
Southern League All-Star Game
The Southern League All-Star Game was an annual baseball game sanctioned by Minor League Baseball between professional players from the teams of the Double-A (baseball), Double-A Southern League (1964–2020), Southern League. Each division, North ...
in June 2007. He was promoted to the Bats on June 28, 2007, after reaching base safely in 40 of his last 42 games for the Lookouts, including three four-hit games.
He was
called up to the major-league squad on September 1.
Hanigan made his MLB debut on September 9 against the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
. Pinch hitting for
Kirk Saarloos
Kirk Craig Saarloos (born May 23, 1979) is an American baseball coach and former pitcher, who is the current head baseball coach of the TCU Horned Frogs. He played college baseball at Cal State Fullerton for coach George Horton from 1999 to 2001 ...
, he doubled to left field off the first pitch from
All-Star Ben Sheets
Ben Michael Sheets (born July 18, 1978) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball.
Sheets is a four-time MLB All-Star (2001, 2004, 200 ...
, and later scored a
run
Run(s) or RUN may refer to:
Places
* Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia
* Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant
People
* Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...
on a
wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch (WP) is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, or the batter (on an uncaught third stri ...
.
For the MLB Reds, Hanigan hit .300 in five games played, with two RBIs and a double. During the off-season, he played in the
Dominican Professional Baseball League
Dominican may refer to:
* Someone or something from or related to the Dominican Republic ( , stress on the "mi"), on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles, in the Caribbean
** People of the Dominican Republic
** Demographics of the Dom ...
for the
Leones del Escogido
Leones del Escogido (English: ''Chosen One Lions'' or ''Lions of Chosen One'' or ''Picked Lions'') is a professional baseball team in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Established in , Leones are the third most successful team in the Dominican Wi ...
.
Playing for the Bats in 2008, Hanigan was a mid-season and postseason
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
(IL) All-Star, and was named the best defensive catcher in the IL by ''
Baseball America
''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
''.
He was called up to the majors on August 10, 2008, after
David Ross was
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
by the Reds; 18 days later, he hit a home run in the eighth inning to score what would be the winning run against the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
. After batting .271 in 31 games for the Reds, Hanigan was ranked as the 16th best
prospect
Prospect may refer to:
General
* Prospect (marketing), a marketing term describing a potential customer
* Prospect (sports), any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team
* Prospect (mining ...
in the Reds minor league system by ''Baseball America''.
![Ryan Hanigan 2009](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Ryan_Hanigan_2009.jpg)
Hanigan spent the entire 2009 season with the Reds except for five games with the Bats. He served as the backup catcher to
Ramón Hernández
Ramón José Hernández Marin (; born May 20, 1976) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Oakland Athletics (1999–2003), San Diego Padres (2004–2005), Baltimore Orioles (2006 ...
until Hernández underwent knee surgery and was placed on the DL. Hanigan went on the DL after he was hit on the face mask by a foul tip and suffered a concussion; he returned on August 8, 2009.
For the season, Hanigan had the best
fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
as a catcher (.998), and the second best
caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder whil ...
percentage (42.9) in the majors.
On March 14, 2011, Hanigan signed a three-year, $4 million extension with the Reds, covering his first two arbitration-eligible seasons. The contract also included up to $800,000 in incentives based on playing time, split for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The deal included a $300,000 signing bonus.
On April 3, 2011, he set career records by hitting more than one home run and getting four hits in a single game. Against
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
pitcher
Sean Marshall, Hanigan drove in the tie-breaking run in what was an 8–7 win for the Reds on August 7. He finished the year batting .267 with an
on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...
of .356 and a career-high of six home runs.
In 2012 and 2013, Hanigan split time catching with Reds' prospect
Devin Mesoraco
Devin Douglas Mesoraco (born June 19, 1988) is an American baseball coach and former professional baseball catcher, who is the current catching coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati R ...
.
Hanigan caught both of
Homer Bailey
David Dewitt "Homer" Bailey Jr. (born May 3, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds from 2007 through 2018, the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics in 2019 ...
's
no-hitter
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
s, against the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
on September 28, 2012, and against the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
on July 2, 2013.
Tampa Bay Rays
![Ryan Hanigan on June 28, 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Ryan_Hanigan_on_June_28%2C_2014.jpg)
Hanigan was traded to the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
as part of a three-team trade also involving the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
on December 3, 2013. The Rays immediately signed him to a three-year, $10.75 million contract through 2016, with a team option for 2017.
Playing as the Rays' primary catcher, on April 4 he went 2-5 with a three-run homer in a win over the
Texas Rangers. Two weeks later he hit two home runs with six RBIs in a 16-1 win over the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
. In May, Hanigan, plagued for nearly two weeks by a strained hamstring, was finally placed on the 15-day DL on May 28. On June 17 he had a home run and a walk against the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
, but he then missed several more games due to neck stiffness and later with soreness in his left side.
Boston Red Sox
On December 19, 2014, the Rays traded Hanigan and
Wil Myers
William Bradford Myers (born December 10, 1990) is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padre ...
to the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
as part of a three-team transaction, in which the Padres traded
Jake Bauers
Jakob Christopher Bauers (born October 6, 1995) is an American professional baseball first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter in the New York Yankees organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleve ...
,
Burch Smith
Burch Taylor Smith (born April 12, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). Smith was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 11th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball d ...
, and
René Rivera
René Rivera (born July 31, 1983) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Met ...
to the Rays, the Padres trade
Joe Ross and a
player to be named later
In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...
to the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, and Washington traded
Steven Souza
Steven Jeffrey Souza Jr. (born April 24, 1989) is an American former professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodg ...
and
Travis Ott to Tampa Bay. The Padres then traded him, later that same day, to the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
for
Will Middlebrooks
William Scott Middlebrooks (born September 9, 1988) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Boston Red Sox on May 2, 2012, and played with them through 2014. He also play ...
.
On April 17, 2015, Hanigan hit his first home run in a Red Sox uniform off of
Ubaldo Jiménez
Ubaldo Jiménez García (born January 22, 1984) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles. Jiménez was an MLB All-Sta ...
of the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
. The two run shot tied the game that Boston eventually won in walk-off fashion. On May 1, 2015, Hanigan left the game after a ball struck his hand after
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira ( ; born April 11, 1980), nicknamed "Tex", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anahei ...
got struck in his hand first. The next day, X-rays tested positive that Hanigan's hand was fractured, placing him on the 15-day disabled list. The Red Sox projected that he was going to be out indefinitely but other sources projected that the injury did not end his 2015 year. On May 3, 2015, Hanigan was placed on the 60-day disabled list. For the 2015 season, he batted .247/.337/.328 with two home runs.
Hanigan finished the 2016 season with a .171 batting average, and despite playing in only 34 games he led the major leagues in
passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control, and, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a ru ...
s, with 18. On November 2, 2016, the Red Sox declined to pick up Hanigans team option, thus making him a free agent.
Later career
Hanigan signed a minor league deal with the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
on January 25, 2017. He was released at the end of spring training. After being released by the Phillies, Hanigan agreed to a minor league contract with the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
, on March 28, 2017.
On February 12, 2018, Hanigan signed a minor league deal with the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. He was released on March 19. On May 6, 2018, Hanigan signed a minor league deal with the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. He was released on July 24, 2018.
Personal life
Hanigan currently resides in
Hollis, New Hampshire
Hollis is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,342 at the 2020 census, growing 9% from the 2010 population of 7,684. The town center village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Ho ...
. Together with Stephen Blanco, they breed Australian Shepherds, His Australian shepherd won a Best in Breed award at the 2014
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is an all-breed conformation show, traditionally held annually at New York City's Madison Square Garden.
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is one of a handful of benched shows in the United States. Dogs ...
.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanigan, Ryan
1980 births
Living people
Baseball players from Washington, D.C.
Rollins Tars baseball players
Major League Baseball catchers
Cincinnati Reds players
Tampa Bay Rays players
Boston Red Sox players
Colorado Rockies players
Dayton Dragons players
Louisville Bats players
Potomac Cannons players
Chattanooga Lookouts players
Mesa Solar Sox players
Leones del Escogido players
American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Charlotte Stone Crabs players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Portland Sea Dogs players
Lowell Spinners players
Albuquerque Isotopes players
Orleans Firebirds players