Ryan Ludwick

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #7 prospect in 2003
  Another part of the Carlos Pena trade, Ludwick made his big league debut in 2002, starting 21 games in center field for Texas. He became the second member of his family to reach the majors, joining his brother Eric, a righthanded pitcher. His season ended in August, however, when he had a screw inserted in his left hip to repair a stress fracture. Ludwick has quick hands that generate power at the plate. He's a good defensive outfielder, especially on the corners, with a strong arm and average speed. He's suited for the grind of pro ball and doesn't get too high or low. Ludwick doesn't do anything exceptionally well. He still doesn't get his lower half into his swing, leaving him with several holes, and his swing mechanics can get out of whack easily. He also needs to be more patient and develop a better two-strike approach. The Rangers' outfield situation is crowded by bad contracts (Carl Everett, Juan Gonzalez), but Ludwick could figure into it, if healthy, in 2003 as a low-cost reserve. A start back at Triple-A seems more likely.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #5 prospect in 2002
  Once projected as a first-round pick in the 1999 draft, Ludwick slid after a shaky junior season at Nevada-Las Vegas. He regained his stroke with the Athletics before being included in the Carlos Pena trade. He's the brother of ex-big league pitcher Eric Ludwick. Ryan has the tools to become a legitimate major league slugger. He's also an above-average outfielder with a plus arm in right field. He lacks the burning speed of most center fielders, but he's faster than most corner outfielders. As he has advanced, though, he has been slow to make adjustments. He doesn't incorporate his lower half well into his swing. He needs to mature as a hitter rather than letting one bad at-bat affect his next trip to the plate. The question remains whether he can develop into a major league center fielder or if he's better suited to right. Ludwick is similar to Gabe Kapler, whom he may have to battle for a big league starting job in the near future. For now, Ludwick will go to Triple-A.
• 
  Ranked Athletics #3 prospect in 2001
  After an impressive summer with Team USA in 1998, Ludwick was projected as a first-round pick at the beginning of the 1999 college season. When he failed to show the power most scouts had expected, hitting only 13 homers, Oakland got him in the second round. Once he signed with the A's, his power quickly became apparent. The A's have high expectations for Ludwick. He hit for a high average in college, and they hope he can do the same as a pro without sacrificing power. He has shown outstanding defensive skills, and the A's hope he can become a legitimate center fielder. He has good speed, though not as good as usually exhibited by big league center fielders. He has a strong arm and may be best suited to right field. Ludwick is raw and must refine his swing, use the whole field and define his strike zone. Too often he's fooled by offspeed pitches because he hasn't seen much pro-level pitching. Ludwick is ticketed for Midland, where the park should really boost his power numbers. He could use two full seasons in the upper minors before challenging for an outfield job in Oakland in 2003.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #10 prospect in 2003
  Ludwick has proven he can hit Triple-A pitching, batting .294-32-115 in 159 PCL games over the past two years. Now he must show he can stay healthy. A stress fracture in his left hip ended his 2002 season, and he jammed his right knee after getting traded to the Indians for Ricardo Rodriguez this year. He may be able to avoid surgery, but plans to have him try first base in instructional league had to be scrapped. The injuries have cut into Ludwick's range enough that he's no longer a viable center fielder, but he has more than enough power and the arm to play in right. He has pop to all fields and crushes balls down in the strike zone. He does have some holes in his swing, but tightened them up as he began to use the entire field more often.
• 
  Ranked Texas League #13 prospect in 2001
  If it wasn't for his home run totals Ludwick, a sort of 21st-century Dale Murphy, would be attracting attention for his glovework and arm. The big power hitter, who gets a good read and jump on almost every batted ball, has surprising speed in the outfield but it won't be his defensive expertise that lands him a big league job. "He can drive the ball with the best of them," DeFrancesco said. There are a few doubters, such as an NL scout who said, "Until he has to hit somewhere other than Midland we won't know how much of his power is a product of the west Texas winds." Ludwick did bat just .213-10-38 in 59 road games, compared to .324-15-58 in 60 home contests, and past Midland sensations Adam Piatt and Jason Hart haven't been as effective at higher levels.
• 
  Ranked California League #2 prospect in 2000
  At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Ludwick came to the Athletics with a penchant for power. He boosted his stock while improving his skills on the same field where Mark McGwire broke into pro ball. Ludwick came out swinging for the fences, resulting in a .198 average through May 10. Once he started using the whole field and refined his two-strike approach, he began blasting the ball and got up to .264 by season’s end. "Ryan's a tremendous worker first," Modesto manager Greg Sparks said. "His bat speed is off the charts and he's a physical specimen. He's been measured having 7-8 percent body fat. It's an electric body, like lightning in the box. So none of his homers are cheap. Seriously, they're mostly all 400 feet or beyond." Ludwick shows the plate discipline that Oakland emphasizes in its farm system. He has an unorthodox swing that relies too much on the strength in his hands, and the A’s are trying to get him to incorporate his legs more. With above-average speed and a strong arm, he was respected as a center fielder, though he may wind up on a corner in the majors.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #81 prospect in 2001

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Ludwick came to the Athletics with a penchant for power. He boosted his stock while improving his skills on the same field where Mark McGwire broke into pro ball. Ludwick came out swinging for the fences, resulting in a .198 average through May 10. Once he started using the whole field and refined his two-strike approach, he began blasting the ball and got up to .264 by season’s end. "Ryan's a tremendous worker first," Modesto manager Greg Sparks said. "His bat speed is off the charts and he's a physical specimen. He's been measured having 7-8 percent body fat. It's an electric body, like lightning in the box. So none of his homers are cheap. Seriously, they're mostly all 400 feet or beyond." Ludwick shows the plate discipline that Oakland emphasizes in its farm system. He has an unorthodox swing that relies too much on the strength in his hands, and the A’s are trying to get him to incorporate his legs more. With above-average speed and a strong arm, he was respected as a center fielder, though he may wind up on a corner in the majors.