Ryan Wing
| IP | 519 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.763 |
| WHIP | 1.362 |
| BB/9 | 4.422 |
| SO/9 | 7.439 |
- Full name Ryan Christopher Wing
- Born 02/01/1982 in Corona, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Riverside City College
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Drafted in the 2nd round (71st overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2001 (signed for $575,000).
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Wing is a converted outfielder who never pitched until attending Riverside CC last fall. He picked up a lot in a short period of time. He throws three pitches for strikes, including an 88-90 fastball and a tight curve, and he has an uncanny sense of how to pitch for a teenager with little experience. Scouts see plenty of upside. At 6-foot-2 and 150 pounds, he hasn't begun to fill out. His rise to prominence as a pitcher is compared to former Riverside CC pitcher Derrick Van Dusen, who went in the fifth round to the Mariners last year.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The White Sox have provided a lot of talent to the Rangers the last couple of years. Texas traded Carl Everett for Frank Francisco, Josh Rupe and Anthony Webster in 2003, then claimed Wing and speedy infielder Ruddy Yan off waivers from Chicago after the 2004 season. The White Sox were trying to create room on the 40-man roster by designating Wing for assignment in October when the Rangers scooped him up. They essentially traded lefty Ben Kozlowski to get Wing, losing Kozlowski to the Reds when they took him off their roster to accommodate Wing. Wing didn't pitch in 2004 because of a shoulder injury originally diagnosed as tendinitis. He didn't improve with rest and rehabilitation, so he had surgery in July. Texas already had him on a throwing program by the winter, and he was expected to be ready to return to the mound by the end of spring training. Wing probably will begin his Rangers career in extended spring, as the club looks to see if he regains his low-90s velocity on his sinker. His slider was considered the best in the White Sox system prior to his injury. He does a fine job of controlling the running game, while his changeup and control need improvement. -
Selected one round after Kris Honel in the 2001 draft, Wing has been in lockstep with him ever since. He started and won the California- Carolina League all-star game last year and teamed with Honel to pitch Winston-Salem to a championship. Wing is a nightmare for lefthanders because of his arm angle and stuff. He has a low-90s fastball with hard, sinking action. He uses his sinker to set up an excellent slider. He doesn't hesitate to knock hitters off the plate. He's difficult to run on, leading Carolina League pitchers last year with 67 percent of basestealers getting caught against him. Wing sometimes struggles with his mechanics, which in turn leads to spotty control. That's the biggest difference between him and Honel. Wing should improve his command with more experience. Wing and Honel will team up again in Double-A this year. The White Sox have promoted plenty of pitchers from Birmingham to the majors, including Neil Cotts in 2003, and could get interested in Wing quickly if he has a good first half. More realistically, he needs another 300 minor league innings before getting the call. -
Mononucleosis limited Wing to one outing after he signed in 2001, but his 2002 season was worth waiting for. He led Kannapolis in victories and kept getting better as the season went on. Sox coaches rave about Wing's arm. He throws in the low-90s with hard, sinking action on his fastball, and he has an excellent slider. His delivery gives him some natural deception and he has an arm angle that makes him extremely tough on lefthanders. He has shown a willingness to knock hitters off the plate. Wing doesn't yet have the command and polish of some of the organization's other lefties--Josh Stewart, Dennis Ulacia and Heath Phillips, to name three--but he has a better arm than just about any of them except for Corwin Malone.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Another integral part of Winston-Salem's championship, Wing has pitched nearly as well as Honel since being drafted one round behind him in 2001. Wing doesn't have Honel's command, though he did improve in that regard this year, but he can match his two plus pitches. Wing's slider is his best pitch and his 90-92 mph sinking fastball is nearly as good. His delivery has a lot of deception, making those offerings even tougher. He's difficult to run on, leading the CL with just 33 percent of basestealers succeeding against him. "His stuff just bores in on lefthanded hitters especially," Massarelli said. "He'll throw you inside and set you up with the slider. He was one of the best pitchers we faced."
