Neil Ramírez #54

Neil Andrew Ramirez ... On Twitter: @NAndrewRam ... Drafted by Rangers in 2007 (first round; 44th overall) ... Favorite team growing up was Atlanta Braves and favorite players were John Smoltz and Chipper Jones ... 2007 Virginia Player of the Year in high school ... Earned silver medal with Team USA in 2006 World Junior Championship, going 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA (2 GS) ... Signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Georgia Tech University ... Minor League Awards and Honors include: 2013 Post-Season and Mid-Season All-Star with Double-A Frisco; Named Pitcher of the Week with Rookie-Level Spokane (2008), Triple-A Round Rock (2012) & Double-A Frisco (2013) ... In MLB career, has pitched in 185 games across parts of last six seasons with Cubs, Brewers, Twins, Giants, Mets, Indians and Blue Jays ... In minor league career, pitched 221 games (127 GS), holding a 43-39 record with six saves and 759 SO in 680 IP ... Started 127 of the 221 minor league games in which he appeared.

2019

Spent 2019 with Indians organization until he was released on Aug. 2 and signed with Blue Jays four days later... Between the organizations pitched 25 MLB IP and 39.2 minor league IP.

2018

Non-roster spring invitee helped solidify the Indians bullpen during a turbulent time in the bullpen in June, finishing second on the club with 13 holds (two holds after July 21)...Spent the first six weeks of the season with AAA Columbus, posting an ERA of 2.55 in 13 outings (17.2IP, 13H, 5ER, 31SO, .200 AVG)...Averaged 15.8 strikeouts per 9.0 IP in Triple-A...Promoted to Cleveland on May 15 and spent the remainder of the season at the Major League level save a ten-day stint on the D.L., Aug. 23-Sept. 1, with lower back spasms that included one-game rehab stints at AA Akron and AAA Columbus...Recorded a club-high 17 straight scoreless outings, May 28-July 6, covering 15.1 IP while recording eight holds...Indians relievers compiled a 3.41 ERA in June (27ER/71.1 IP) after recording a combined ERA of 5.74 over the first two months of the season (101ER/158.1 IP)...Season ERA after July 6 was 6.38 (24.0.IP, 24H, 17ER) and allowed runs in 12 of his final 22 games...Batters hit .186 (13-for-70) with runners on base, .188 (9-for-48) with RISP and were 0-for-8 with the bases loaded...Recorded an ERA of 4.32 (8.1IP, 9H, 4ER) in 10 September games after coming off the D.L...Allowed 12 steals. 

2017

Spent time in four organizations, making 28 combined appearances with the SF Giants and NY Mets, averaging 12.6 strikeouts per 9.0 IP at the Major League level despite giving up 35 hits and 6 homers in 31.1 innings...Opened the year with the Giants and was claimed off waivers on May 4 after being designated for assignment by San Francisco on April 30 after an 8.71 ERA with the Giants in April...Was on Toronto's Major League roster for four days (did not pitch) before being DFA'd on May 9 and later electing free agency. Signed a Major League deal with the New York Mets on May 16 and was on the Mets roster for two months before being designated for assignment on July 20 and again electing free agency...Signed a Minor League deal with the Washington Nationals on July 27 and spent the remainder of the season at AAA Syracuse...On the year at the Major League level left-handed batters hit just .212 (11/52) off him.

2016

Bounced around between organizations, spending time with the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins...Posted a 4.70 ERA (4er, 7.2ip) in eight games from April 10-May 18 with the Cubs before being designated for assignment on May 21...Was acquired off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers on May 31, 2016 and posted a 10.80 ERA (2er, 1.2ip) over two games before being designated for assignment on June 9...Was acquired off waivers by the Minnesota Twins on June 12, 2016...Appeared in eight games with the Twins, posting a 6.14 ERA (10er, 14.2ip) before being outrighted to the minors.

2015

Neil Ramirez was 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA (5 ER/14.0 IP) and two holds in 19 relief outings for Chicago ... missed significant time on the 15-day disabled list, April 16-June 28 (right shoulder inflammation) and July 29-September 8 (left abdominal soreness). Posted a 2.25 ERA (2 ER/8.0 IP) in 12 home relief appearances ... had a 4.50 ERA (3 ER/6.0 IP) in seven road games. Retired 14 of 19 first batters faced ... stranded all three of his inherited runners. His ninth-inning outing, April 15 vs. the Reds, was cut short after just three pitches due to right shoulder discomfort ... was placed on the disabled list two days later with inflammation in his shoulder. w Made three rehab outings with Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings. Activated from the DL, June 28, and proceeded to pitch to a 3.18 ERA (2 ER/5.2 IP) in eight relief appearances before landing back on the shelf, July 29. w In four rehab games with Tennessee, was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA (2 ER/3.1 IP). Held the opponent scoreless in his first four relief outings (3.1 IP) after he was activated from the shelf, September 8.

2014

Neil made his major league debut and posted a 1.44 ERA (7 ER/43.2 IP) in 50 relief appearances for Chicago...His ERA ranked second-lowest among rookie relievers with at least 50 appearances (Yankees' Dellin Betances, 1.40 ERA)...Went 3-3 with three saves in his 50 relief appearances for the Cubs...Walked 17 and struck out 53...His 10.92 strikeouts per 9.0 innings led all N.L. rookie relievers (min. 50 GP) and ranked second in the bigs behind the Yankees' Dellin Betances (13.50)...Led N.L. rookie relievers with a .184 batting average against (29-for-158)...Was second in the majors behind Betances' .149 mark...Ranked third among N.L. rookie relievers with 17 holds ... marked the most holds for a Cubs rookie reliever in franchise history...Stranded seven of nine inherited runners...Allowed just two home runs in 177 batters faced...Finished the season having gone 28-straight games (23.2 IP) without allowing a long ball...Recalled from Triple-A Iowa, April 24, and made his major league debut the next night in Milwaukee, tossing a scoreless inning of relief...Tossed 11.0-straight shutout innings, May 8-June 10, spanning 12 games...Pitched a career-high 1.2 shutout innings of relief, May 13 at St. Louis...Picked up his first career save, June 5 vs. the Mets, preserving a 7-4 win with a scoreless ninth inning...Earned his first career victory, June 26 vs. Washington with 0.1 scoreless innings of relief...Placed on the 15-day disabled list, July 26, with right triceps soreness...Made two rehab appearances with Rookie League Mesa before he was activated, August 10...In 22 relief appearances from June 26-September 5, posted a 0.49 ERA (1 ER/18.1 IP) and limited opponents to a .197 batting average and a .274 on-base percentage ... walked six and struck out 20...Struck out all three batters faced, August 26 at Cincinnati, for his first career three-strikeout game...Began the season with Triple-A Iowa, and posted a 7.71 ERA (6 ER/7.0 IP) in six relief appearances prior to making his big league debut.

2013

Went 9-3 with a 3.84 ERA (44 ER/103.0 IP) and 127 strikeouts in 21 starts for Double-A Frisco before he was claimed off waivers by the Cubs from Texas, August 23, and assigned to Double-A Tennessee ... the move satisfied the player to be named portion of the Rangers-Cubs trade, July 22... Named a Texas League mid-season and post-season All-Star with Frisco... Ranked fifth in the Rangers minor league system with 127 strikeouts... Was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week for the period of June 17-23, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/12.0 IP) and 16 strikeouts in two starts... Was a perfect 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA (7 ER/28.0 IP) and 35 strikeouts in five June starts... Was a perfect 5-0 with a 3.21 ERA (17 ER/47.2 IP) and 56 strikeouts in 10 road starts... Went 9-2 with a 2.89 ERA (26 ER/81.0 IP) in 15 starts before the All-Star break, but landed on the seven-day disabled list, July 21, with right biceps tendinitis ... activated from the D.L., August 7.

2012

Split the campaign between Round Rock and Frisco... combined to go 8-13 with a 6.28 ERA (86 ER/123.1 IP) and 108 strikeouts against 47 walks over 28 games/27 starts...held right-handed batters to a .253 (60-237) and left-handed batters to a .279 average (65-233)...opposition hit .325 (38-117) with RISP...appeared in 2 spring training "A" games and allowed 7 runs over 4.0 innings of work. ROUND ROCK: Opened season in Round Rock rotation and allowed 2 runs-or-less in 4 of first 6 outings, going 3-2 with a 4.03 ERA (13 ER/29.0 IP)...logged a quality start 3 times in a 4-start stretch from April 17-May 3, posting back-to-back 6.0 shutout inning performances on April 17 vs. Omaha and April 22 at New Orleans with a combined 10 strikeouts and just one walk...also produced a season-best 7.0 innings with 2 runs allowed on May 3 vs. New Orleans...surrendered at least 6 earned runs in 6 of final 9 outings with the Express following start on May 3, compiling a 10.00 ERA (45.0 IP/50 ER) with 38 strikeouts against 24 walks... issued 3-or-more walks 5 times during that stretch, including a season-high 4 walks twice...delivered a quality start (6.2 IP, 3 R-ER) in final start with Round Rock on June 20 vs. Iowa, registering a season-best 8 strikeouts. FRISCO: Was transferred to Frisco on June 22...tossed a quality start (6.0 IP, 1 R-ER) in his first outing with Frisco on June 25 vs. Corpus Christi...compiled a 1.89 ERA (4 ER/19.0 IP) over first 4 starts before surrendering 6 runs over 2.1 innings on July 17 vs. San Antonio...was on the disabled list July 19-27 with back strain...allowed one run on just 2 hits over 6.0 innings in first 2 starts upon return from the disabled list...permitted 6 runs over 3.0 innings in loss on August 6 at San Antonio...tossed 6.0 shutout innings in next start on Aug. 12 at Northwest Arkansas and compiled a 0.60 ERA (1 ER/15.0 IP) with 13 strikeouts and 4 walks over a 3-start stretch from Aug. 12-24...made first relief appearance in final outing of the regular season on Sept. 3 vs. Midland, allowing a solo home run and recording 2 strikeouts...worked 1.0 scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts in the Texas League playoffs.

2011

Combined to go 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA (34 ER/98.0 IP) and 119 strikeouts against 44 walks in 25 games/starts with Myrtle Beach, Frisco, and Round Rock...limited opposing batters to a .215 average (77-358) with RHB at .185 (33-178) and LHB at .244), a figure that would rate among the overall minor league leaders with enough innings to qualify...named the Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April...appeared in a pair of Spring Training "A" games and allowed one run over 2.0 innings of work and recorded 3 strikeouts.

2010

Spent entire campaign with Hickory...tallied the 2nd-most strikeouts in the South Atlantic League...posted a 3.38 ERA (1 ER/2.2 IP) in relief and a 4.45 ERA (68 ER/137.2 IP) as a starter...held opposing right-handers to a .274 average (87-317), while opponents hit .281 (150-534) overall...was 6-5 with a 5.21 ERA in 14 games/13 starts prior to the All-Star break and 4-3 with a 3.74 ERA (31 ER/74.2 IP) in 14 games/13 starts following the break...registered a season-high 10 strikeouts on 2 occasions...tallied 5-or-more strikeouts in 17 of his 26 starts...recorded 12 quality starts...logged first career complete in game one of a doubleheader on August 20 at Kannapolis.

2009

Spent the entire campaign with Hickory... was 3-5, 4.07 (27 ER/59.2 IP) with 49 strikeouts as a starter and 0- 1, 10.80 (8 ER/6.2 IP) as a reliever...held fellow right-handers to a .225 average (36-160), while lefties batted .253 (22-87)...joined Crawdads on June 7 and began season with 4 relief appearances... made first start on June 25 vs. Kannapolis, allowing 4 runs over 4.1 innings of work...posted a 1.80 ERA (2 ER/10.0 IP) with 8 strikeouts over next 2 starts...won 3 consecutive starts from July 11-23, recording a 2.81 ERA (5 ER/16.0 IP)...registered a 3.91 ERA (10 ER/23.0 IP) over last 6 starts to lower season ERA from 5.19 to 4.75.

2008

Spent first professional season at Spokane...rated by Baseball America as the 4th-best prospect in the NWL and the 15th-best prospect in the Texas system...ranked among staff leaders in starts (T2nd, 13) and strikeouts (4th, 52)...averaged 10.6 K's-per-9.0 IP... tied for league lead with 4 balks...posted no record and a 1.17 ERA (3 ER/23.0 IP) over 6 home starts and went 1-2, 4.29 (10 ER/21.0 IP) in 7 starts on the road...lefties hit just .134 (9-67) with one HR while right-handers hit .190 (16-84) with 4 HR...was limited to less than 5.0 IP in 11-of-13 outings...allowed 2 runs-or-less in 11-of-13 starts, including 4 scoreless outings...made pro debut as Opening Day starter for Indians on June 17 vs. Everett (2 ER/3.0 IP)...earned first pro win in his 2nd start on June 22 at Eugene (1 ER/5.0 IP)... named NWL Pitcher of the Week for June 23-30...tallied a seasonhigh 7 strikeouts twice, on June 27 and Aug. 26, both vs. Tri-City... was on 7-day DL from July 15-Aug. 2 with sprained right shoulder... suffered a broken right hand following the season and could not participate in fall instructional league.

2007

Selected with the Rangers' 4th overall pick in the supplemental round as compensation for losing free agent Gary Matthews Jr....did not see official game action after signing, but participated in the Arizona Instructional League...named the organization's 13th-best prospect and Best Curveball by Baseball America following the season.