Ryan Kreidler (born November 12, 1997) is an American professional baseball utility player for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Amateur career
Kreidler attended Davis High School in Davis, California. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 35th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft but did not sign. He enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and played college baseball for the UCLA Bruins. In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB draft and signed.
Professional career
Kreidler made his professional debut with the Connecticut Tigers, batting .232 with two home runs and 20 RBI over sixty games. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He started 2021 with the Erie SeaWolves before being promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens. Over 129 games between the two teams, he slashed .270/.349/.454 with 22 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.
On September 1, 2022, Kreidler was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He recorded his first major league hit, a single, on September 3 against the Kansas City Royals. Kreidler's first major league home run on September 7 was a game-winner, and struck in the top of the ninth inning off José Quijada of the Los Angeles Angels to break a 4–4 tie.
In 2023, Kreidler was part of Detroit's Opening Day roster. He started at third base on opening day. Kreider was optioned back to Triple-A on April 15 after hitting .111 in 11 games. He was placed on the minor league injured list on April 28 with knee soreness, and began a rehab assignment with the High–A West Michigan Whitecaps in May. However, after 5 games he was pulled off rehab assignment, and it was announced that he had undergone core-muscle surgery on June 14.
Kreidler was optioned to Triple–A Toledo to begin the 2024 season. On April 11, 2024, he underwent surgery to repair a fractured right index finger. In 35 appearances for Detroit, Kreidler slashed .119/.200/.169 with one home run, two RBI, and five stolen bases.
In 2025, Kreidler was again part of Detroit's Opening Day roster. He was used primarily as a centerfielder at the start of the season due to injuries at that position. He was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on April 21 after struggling at the plate.