Ryan Loutos

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #27 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021, Loutos was targeted for his computer programming skills as much as he was for his on-field ability. A computer science major at the prestigious Washington University in St. Louis, Loutos has worked with the Cardinals analytics department to help refine player-facing reports. Loutos took a big step forward entering the 2022 season and ascended to the major leagues, making his debut on June 1, 2024.
  
  Scouting Report: Loutos is a big-bodied righthander standing in at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds. He saw a significant jump in fastball velocity and stuff entering 2022 and now sits 94-95 mph, touching 97 mph at peak. While Loutos does not possess true swing-and-miss stuff, he attacks with a mix of his fastball, a hard slider and changeup and changes eye levels well. His command is fringe-average, and he will purposely throw his fastball out of the zone at times for chases.
  
  The Future: Loutos is a one-inning reliever likely destined for lower-leverage middle relief work.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #29 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: When Loutos committed to Division III powerhouse Washington University in St. Louis, he expected to play baseball while majoring in computer science and training for a technical career. The Cardinals instead signed Loutos as a nondrafted free agent following his senior season and used him as both a pitcher and a member of the front office building analytical models. Loutos arrived at his first spring training throwing 4-5 mph harder and rocketed up the minors from High-A to Triple-A in his first full season in 2022 to establish himself as a prospect independent of his front office work. He finished the year with nine solid appearances in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Loutos is a big, physical 6-foot-5 righthander and has grown into power stuff. After sitting 91-93 mph and touching 94 in college, Loutos' fastball now sits 95-96 and touches 99 with riding life and heavy bore. He not only added velocity to his fastball, but added six inches of sweep to his slider with the added power. His slider now averages almost a foot of sweep and sits 81-83 mph as his de facto out pitch. Loutos' low-80s curveball sits in a similar velocity band to his slider but with a distinctly different movement pattern featuring depth and two-plane break. He relies on overpowering hitters and has just fringe-average control.
  
  The Future: With substantial gains in his first full professional season and high level of intelligence, Loutos could blossom into a viable middle relief option. He is in position to make his major league debut in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider 50. Curveball: 45. Control: 45.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: When Loutos committed to Division III powerhouse Washington University in St. Louis, he expected to play baseball while majoring in computer science and training for a technical career. The Cardinals instead signed Loutos as a nondrafted free agent following his senior season and used him as both a pitcher and a member of the front office building analytical models. Loutos arrived at his first spring training throwing 4-5 mph harder and rocketed up the minors from High-A to Triple-A in his first full season in 2022 to establish himself as a prospect independent of his front office work. He finished the year with nine solid appearances in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Loutos is a big, physical 6-foot-5 righthander and has grown into power stuff. After sitting 91-93 mph and touching 94 in college, Loutos' fastball now sits 95-96 and touches 99 with riding life and heavy bore. He not only added velocity to his fastball, but added six inches of sweep to his slider with the added power. His slider now averages almost a foot of sweep and sits 81-83 mph as his de facto out pitch. Loutos' low-80s curveball sits in a similar velocity band to his slider but with a distinctly different movement pattern featuring depth and two-plane break. He relies on overpowering hitters and has just fringe-average control.
  
  The Future: With substantial gains in his first full professional season and high level of intelligence, Loutos could blossom into a viable middle relief option. He is in position to make his major league debut in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider 50. Curveball: 45. Control: 45.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: When Loutos committed to Division III powerhouse Washington University in St. Louis, he expected to play baseball while majoring in computer science and training for a technical career. The Cardinals instead signed Loutos as a nondrafted free agent following his senior season and used him as both a pitcher and a member of the front office building analytical models. Loutos arrived at his first spring training throwing 4-5 mph harder and rocketed up the minors from High-A to Triple-A in his first full season in 2022 to establish himself as a prospect independent of his front office work. He finished the year with nine solid appearances in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Loutos is a big, physical 6-foot-5 righthander and has grown into power stuff. After sitting 91-93 mph and touching 94 in college, Loutos' fastball now sits 95-96 and touches 99 with riding life and heavy bore. He not only added velocity to his fastball, but added six inches of sweep to his slider with the added power. His slider now averages almost a foot of sweep and sits 81-83 mph as his de facto out pitch. Loutos' low-80s curveball sits in a similar velocity band to his slider but with a distinctly different movement pattern featuring depth and two-plane break. He relies on overpowering hitters and has just fringe-average control.
  
  The Future: With substantial gains in his first full professional season and high level of intelligence, Loutos could blossom into a viable middle relief option. He is in position to make his major league debut in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider 50. Curveball: 45. Control: 45.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  Track Record: A four-year starter at Division III Washington University in St. Louis, Loutos was signed last summer as a nondrafted free agent and assigned to Palm Beach. Loutos has power stuff with a fastball that touches 98 mph and it has translated to early success as a professional. A relief-only prospect, Loutos has climbed three levels of the minors in his first full season, reaching Triple-A Memphis in early July.
  
  Scouting Report: Loutos&#39 four-seam fastball sits 94-96 mph, touching 97-98 mph at peak with late bite. He creates deception with a long-arm action and elongated rockback before delivering the ball with a fast arm and a high-effort operation. He shows two different breaking ball shapes, both in the low 80s, with a sweepy slider and a downer curveball with 11-5 shape. His slider projects better long term than his curveball as the latter has a loopy shape making it easier to identify out of the hand.
  
  The Future: With a limited track record against high-quality competition, Loutos has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to upper-level hitting. His fastball power and pair of heavy-moving breaking balls give Loutos the foundation of a potential bullpen piece long term.