• Full name Ryan Gerard Wheeler
  • Born 07/10/1988 in Torrance, CA
  • Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: L / Throws: R
  • School Loyola Marymount
  • Debut 07/20/2012
  • Drafted in the 5th round (156th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 (signed for $160,000).
    View Draft Report
    Wheeler was a high school basketball teammate of North Carolina forward Deon Thompson. During his prep baseball career, Wheeler did little to impress scouts, but in the summer after his graduation in 2006 he began working with a local part-time scout who doubles as a travel ball coach. The sudden change in his hitting ability was striking. Wheeler blasted several long shots out of old Torrance Park in a home run derby during a summer showcase, and he has been hitting ever since. Now 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he batted .285 with five home runs in the Cape Cod League last summer and was batting .324/.429/.576 with nine home runs this spring. Wheeler has dabbled as a third baseman, but his long-term home should be at first, where he projects as an average defender. Scouts are most intrigued by his hitting ability, as he displays promising power as well as patience and an intelligent approach. Wheeler also gets high marks for his plate coverage, as well as his knack for driving the ball to the opposite field.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Minor League Top Prospects

Best Tools List

  • Rated Best Defensive 3B in the Southern League in 2011
  • Rated Best Defensive 3B in the California League in 2010
  • Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010

Scouting Reports

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