| Ricky Karcher | |
| Team: | Free agent |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 18 September 1997 |
| Birth Place: | Saline, Michigan, U.S. |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | June 12 |
| Debutyear: | 2023 |
| Debutteam: | Cincinnati Reds |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | 2023 season |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 0–0 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 0.00 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 0 |
| Teams: | |
Richard Thomas Karcher (born September 18, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds.
Karcher grew up in Ponte Vedra, Florida, and initially attended Ponte Vedra High School.[1] Prior to his senior year of high school his family relocated to Saline, Michigan, and he transferred to Saline High School.[2] In his lone season at Saline, Karcher had a 9–0 win–loss record with 0.41 earned run average (ERA).[3]
Karcher enrolled at the University of Michigan and began his college baseball career with the Michigan Wolverines. After his freshman season, he transferred to Walters State Community College.[4] Karcher went 7–3 with a 4.27 ERA in 15 appearances with 12 starts in his lone season at Walters State.
The Cincinnati Reds selected Karcher in the 13th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[5] He spent his first three seasons with the team primarily as a starting pitcher and was assigned to the Arizona League Reds, Greeneville Reds, and Billings Mustangs. Karcher did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]
He began the 2021 season with the Daytona Tortugas of Low-A Southeast and was moved to the bullpen.[7] He made nine appearances and struck out 19 batters with Daytona before being promoted to the High-A Dayton Dragons.[8] Karcher was assigned to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts at the start of the 2022 season. He was promoted to the Triple-A Louisville Bats after posting a 3.24 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched.[9] On November 15, 2022, the Reds added Karcher to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[10]
Karcher was optioned to the Triple-A Louisville Bats to begin the 2023 season.[11] On June 9, 2023, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time after Graham Ashcraft was placed on the injured list.[12] Karcher made his debut on June 12, 2023, in the 10th inning of the Reds' 5–4 victory over the Kansas City Royals and earned the save after pitching a scoreless inning to end the game.[13] In 29 appearances for Louisville, he struggled to a 7.18 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 2 saves in innings pitched. On July 6, Karcher was designated for assignment after Tony Santillan was activated from the injured list.[14] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Louisville on July 10.[15] Karcher elected free agency following the season on November 6.[16]
On November 17, 2023, Karcher signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[17] In 21 games for the Triple–A Reno Aces, he struggled to an 8.46 ERA with 31 strikeouts across innings pitched. On June 16, 2024, Karcher was released by the Diamondbacks organization.[18]
On July 4, 2024, Karcher signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals.[19] On November 6, he elected free agency.[20]