Mark Ryal
Mark Dwayne Ryal (born April 28, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player who played six seasons for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, and Pittsburgh Pirates of the Major League Baseball (MLB). He also played two seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chunichi Dragons. He is the father of Rusty Ryal, an infielder for the Albuquerque Isotopes.
| Mark Ryal | |
|---|---|
| Outfielder | |
| Born: April 28, 1960 Henryetta, Oklahoma | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: September 7, 1982, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| NPB: April 6, 1991, for the Chunichi Dragons | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: October 3, 1990, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| NPB: May 21, 1992, for the Chunichi Dragons | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .211 |
| Home runs | 7 |
| Runs batted in | 31 |
| NPB statistics | |
| Batting average | .286 |
| Home runs | 24 |
| Runs batted in | 88 |
| Teams | |
Baseball career
Ryal attended Dewar High School and was selected in the third round (77th overall) by the Kansas City Royals in the June 1978 amateur Baseball draft.
As of 2021, Ryal is notable for, on September 4, 1987, being the most recent instance of a left-handed throwing fielder playing the position of shortstop in a Major League Baseball game. Ryal’s California Angels lost to the New York Yankees by a score of 8-4. Including Ryal, only five left-handed individuals have appeared at the position of shortstop in a Major League Baseball game since 1934, the feat occurring in a total of only 10 games, six of which by the same individual, Royle Stillman, in 1975.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)