Ryan Lee Rohlinger (; born October 7, 1983) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...

for the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...

from 2008 through 2011.

Amateur career

High school

Rohlinger graduated from

West Bend East High School The West Bend School District (officially West Bend Joint School District #1) is a school district in Wisconsin serving the city of West Bend, the villages of Jackson and Newburg, and parts of the towns of Polk, Trenton, Barton, West Bend ...

West Bend, Wisconsin West Bend is the county seat of Washington County, Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,752. History Early history and settlement Northeastern Washington County's earliest known inhabitants were pre-Columbian Mound Builder ...

in 2002, where he played

, football,

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

, and

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball c ...

. Rohlinger was an all-state pick in all four sports he participated in his senior season, an accomplishment that had never occurred in Wisconsin Prep History. He was also named the 2001–2002 State Scholar Athlete of the year by the WIAA. Rohlinger was an accomplished football player in high school earning all-state honors as a wide receiver as a sophomore and as a

quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...

as a junior and senior. Named back of the year his junior and senior seasons, Rohlinger holds over 40 school football records. Rohlinger has the 3rd highest receiving yardage game in Wisconsin prep history, 11 catches for 292 yards and 3

touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Americ ...

s in 1999.Wisconsin State Football Records
/ref> Rohlinger also holds the 3rd highest yardage game as a quarterback, 28 of 50 for 474 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2001. As a basketball player, Rohlinger was an all-state point guard, both as a junior and senior. In Rohlinger's two years playing tennis, he made the state tournament and was named all-state despite not playing tennis prior to that season. Rohlinger was a 4-year starter at the then powerhouse West Bend East team that was coached by state coaching legend, Doug Gonring. As a baseball player, Rohlinger was named the Wisconsin state player of the year in 2002. He was an all-state second baseman as a freshman and sophomore and an all-state selection at

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...

as a junior and senior. Rohlinger was a part of two state championships at West Bend East, 1999 and 2002 with the team compiling a 110–21 record during his prep career. Rohlinger holds state records in doubles and

total bases In baseball statistics, total bases is the number of bases a player gains with hits. It is a weighted sum with values of 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run. For example, three singles is three total bases, whil ...

. Rohlinger was also a member of the Midwest Blazers, a scout team located in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

. During Rohlinger's time with the Blazers, he was named the tournament Most Valuable Player three times and hit over .400 in two years as the Blazers

Shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...

. On December 23, 2008, Rohlinger's baseball number 17 was retired in a halftime ceremony at a West Bend East vs. West Bend West Basketball game. His old jersey and number are hanging in the West Bend Gymnasium and baseball fields.

College

Rohlinger attended Clarendon Junior College in Texas in 2002–2003 becoming a Junior College All American. As a result, Rohlinger transferred to the

University of Oklahoma , mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State" , type = Public research university , established = , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.7billion (2021) , pr ...

Norman, Oklahoma Norman () is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, with a population of 128,097 as of 2021. It is the largest city and the county seat of Cleveland County, Oklahoma, Cleveland County, and the second-largest city in the Oklahoma C ...

. Rohlinger was the starting

third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system u ...

for the Sooners and got a reputation right away at Oklahoma for being Mr. Clutch, as he had several game winning

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run is ...

s and

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album s ...

, including a game-winning home run against then number 1

University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

. Rohlinger was a team captain in for the University of Oklahoma. In the summer of , Rohlinger was named the Most Valuable Player in the

Cape Cod Baseball League The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thous ...

Championship series, as he helped the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox to the league crown.

Professional career

San Francisco Giants

Rohlinger was selected in the

2005 Major League Baseball Draft The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams. It is widely considered to be one of the best ...

in the 21st round by the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals h ...

, but returned to University of Oklahoma for his senior season. Rohlinger was then selected in the 6th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft by the San Francisco Giants. Rohlinger played for the

Salem-Keizer Volcanoes The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes are a baseball team located in Keizer, Oregon, who are charter members of the Mavericks Independent Baseball League, a four-team league entirely based in the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area and playing all their h ...

of the

Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Basebal ...

in 2006 that won the Northwest League Championship. Rohlinger batted .252 with 3 home runs and 28 runs batted in. Rohlinger played for the

Augusta GreenJackets The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina, which opened in April 2018. They previo ...

of the

South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...

in 2007. Rohlinger led the team in home runs with 18. He also batted .235 with 78 runs batted in. In , Rohlinger was added to the San Francisco Giants

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...

roster and competed for the 2008 third baseman position. After making it to the final day of spring training, Rohlinger was sent to the High-A

San Jose Giants The San Jose Giants are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Located in San Jose, California, the Giants play their home games at Excite Ballpark. Games San Jose Giants g ...

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...

. During the first 3 months Rohlinger posted a .285 average with 7 home runs and 46 runs batted in. Rohlinger was promoted June 21, 2008, to the Double-A

Connecticut Defenders The Connecticut Defenders were a Minor League Baseball team based in Norwich, Connecticut. The team, which played in the Eastern League, was the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major-league club from 2003 until following the 2009 ...

Norwich, Connecticut Norwich ( ) (also called "The Rose of New England") is a city in New London County, Connecticut New London County is in the southeastern corner of Connecticut and comprises the Norwich-New London, Connecticut Metropolitan Statistical Area, ...

. Rohlinger hit .296 with 6 home runs and 19 runs batted in. He was called up the San Francisco Giants on August 13, 2008. Rohlinger, along with

Pablo Sandoval Pablo Emilio Sandoval Reyes (born August 11, 1986) is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball third baseman for the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, ...

, started the season in Single-A and ultimately ended up on the major league roster, something that does not happen frequently. Rohlinger started the 2009 season in Triple A Fresno where he batted .281 with 16 home runs and 78 runs batted in. On August 25, 2009, Rohlinger was recalled to the San Francisco Giants and remained with the Giants for the remainder of the season. He started the 2010 season in Triple A Fresno, but on May 7, 2010, he was recalled to the San Francisco Giants which started a season where he would go back and forth several times. Rohlinger batted .311 with 8 home runs and 48 runs batted in for Fresno. He remained with the Giants through their World Series run which ended in a championship. Rohlinger will start the 2011 season in Triple A Fresno. Rohlinger was called up to the San Francisco Giants and appeared in one game. The Giants designated him for assignment on May 26.

Colorado Rockies

He was claimed off waivers by the

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...

on June 2. On November 20, he was released by Colorado.

Cleveland Indians

Rohlinger was signed by the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive ...

to a minor league contract for the 2012 season and spent the 2012 season at Double A Akron and Triple A Columbus. Rohlinger was re-signed by the

to a minor league contract for the 2013 season and started the 2013 season at Triple A Columbus. In November 2013, Rohlinger was re-signed by the

to a minor league contract with an invite to Major League camp for the 2014 season.

Personal

Rohlinger comes from an athletic family. Rohlinger has two older brothers, Matt and Adam, and a younger sister Bria. Uncle

Willie Mueller Willard Lawrence Mueller Jr. (; born August 30, 1956) is an American baseball coach and former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. He spent his entire playing career with the Milwaukee Brewers organization (1978–1983), although in 1981, he was ...

was a

pitcher with the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. The Brewers are named for the city's association wi ...

in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Mueller also played the role of the Duke in the movie Major League. Cousin Mike Mueller was a minor league pitcher with the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in B ...

organization. Brother Adam Rohlinger was a Division 3 All-American baseball player at

Concordia University Wisconsin Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) is a private Lutheran university in Mequon, Wisconsin. It is part of the eight-member Concordia University System operated by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). The university is a coeducational ...

Mequon, Wisconsin Mequon () is the largest city in Ozaukee County, in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, and the third-largest city in Wisconsin by land area. Located on Lake Michigan's western shore with significant commercial developments along Interstate 43, the comm ...

. Ryan and Adam hold most offensive records at

. Rohlinger is married to former

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Chart ...

and

standout volleyball player Christie Gardner and they have a daughter and son.

References

External links

Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rohlinger, Ryan 1983 births Living people Baseball players from Wisconsin Major League Baseball third basemen San Francisco Giants players Salem-Keizer Volcanoes players Augusta GreenJackets players San Jose Giants players Connecticut Defenders players Scottsdale Scorpions players Fresno Grizzlies players Arizona League Giants players Bravos de Margarita players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Akron Aeros players Columbus Clippers players Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox players People from West Bend, Wisconsin Sportspeople from Washington County, Wisconsin Oklahoma Sooners baseball players