| Ryan Cusick | |
| Team: | Athletics |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 12 November 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Sudbury, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
Ryan Cusick (born November 12, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Cusick began his high school career at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Sudbury, Massachusetts before transferring to Avon Old Farms School in Avon, Connecticut, for his senior year in 2018.[1] [2] He was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 40th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and instead enrolled at Wake Forest University where he played college baseball.[3]
In 2019, Cusick's freshman season, he led the Wake Forest pitching staff in wins, going 7–3 with a 6.44 ERA over innings.[4] That summer, he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Bourne Braves.[5] [6] He pitched innings in 2020 before the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] As a junior in 2021, Cusick started 12 games and compiled a 3–5 record, a 4.24 ERA, and 108 strikeouts over seventy innings.[8] [9]
Cusick was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the first round with the 24th overall selection of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[10] [11] He signed with the Braves for a $2.7 million signing bonus.[12] To begin his professional career, he was assigned to the Augusta GreenJackets of the Low-A East.[13] [14] During his first year in the minor leagues, Cusick pitched innings, striking out 34 batters, walking four, and giving up five earned runs.[15] [16] Cusick joined the Braves' minor league camp before the 2022 season began.[17]
On March 14, 2022, the Braves traded Cusick, Cristian Pache, Shea Langeliers, and Joey Estes to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Matt Olson.[18] [19] He was assigned to the Midland RockHounds of the Double-A Texas League for the 2022 season.[20] Over 13 games (ten starts), he went 1–6 with a 7.12 ERA, 46 strikeouts, and thirty walks over 43 innings.[21] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox after the season.[22] Cusick returned to Midland to open the 2023 season.[23]
Cusick split the 2024 campaign between the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Athletics, Midland, and the Triple–A Las Vegas Aviators, posting a cumulative 3–4 record and 4.66 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 4 saves across innings pitched. Following the season, the Athletics added Cusick to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[24]