When recent Boyd County graduate Ryan Brown got a phone call from his college coach about an opportunity to play baseball over the summer, it was an easy yes.
“I said, 100% I’ll be there,” Brown said. “Wherever they need me to be.”
The Tri-State Coal Cats needed another pitcher as they embarked on their first season with the Appalachian League. The team turned to the former Lions’ hurler.
“When I started the summer, my coach told me I had to turn 18 first,” Brown said. “But once I did, he reached back out to me and said, ‘I can get you into this league.’ and I just thought that was phenomenal.”
Brown officially joined the team on July 2, around the midpoint of the season, which runs from June to August.
It was just 34 days earlier that Brown wrapped up his senior year with Boyd County. He finished the season with an ERA of 0.87 across 47-plus innings and led the team in strikeouts with 86.
“Ryan had a great senior season with us,” Boyd County coach Frank Conley said. “He came in and worked very hard to be successful. He was only with us for one year, but he fit in quickly and was a leader for us. He had a good season offensively and defensively but was dominant on the mound for us all season.”
It took a bit of an adjustment for Brown to transition from high school to the next level.
“It was a really big difference between high school and here,” Brown said. “Almost everyone playing here is in college, first or second year. I was a bit nervous my first time out there. I’d never been on the mound facing those types of guys.”
Brown held up to the pressure well and was part of the Coal Cats’ first-ever no-hitter on July 10. Brown closed the game on the mound as part of the four-pitcher combined effort.
“I don’t even know if I realized it was a no-hitter when I went out there,” Brown said with a laugh. “I had no clue, I was just coming into pitch. Then someone mentioned it to me just before the last out.”
Brown entered the game in the seventh frame, eventually putting away all six batters in the last two innings to secure the win. It was the first no-no in the league since July 2023.
“He carried much of his success with us over to the Tri-State Coal Cats,” Conley said. “He pitched well in his first outing, and it led to more opportunities. He ended up being an arm they trusted and used in key situations.”
In his first year with the Coal Cats, Brown appeared in seven games, including one start, where he controlled the mound for 15.2 innings. He finished the season with a 1.72 ERA and 18 strikeouts.
“It was a great experience getting to play this year,” Brown said. “It was surreal to have the chance to play. I know I’d definitely come back again next year if I get the opportunity, for sure.”
Having the chance to play for a league like the Appalachian League, which is part of MLB and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline, is a terrific opportunity for players, and the fact that there’s a team in the league so close to home is something that many players our area will strive to be part of in the future.
“It’s really beneficial,” Brown said. “There are so many talented kids in the 16th Region that are going to go play college ball, so for them, being able to come back in the summer if they get sent to this league, it’s a great opportunity. and so convenient too, being so close to home still.”
Boyd County athletic director Pete Fraley says it’s beneficial for both players and fans alike.
“I think it’s an awesome opportunity for our kids to get to play at the next level so close to home,” Fraley said. “It’s great for the Coal Cats too because I know a lot of our fans can drive 20 minutes up the road and watch quality baseball.”
And if fans make the short trip to Marshall’s Jack Cook Field to watch a Coal Cats home game, Brown isn’t the only familiar face they can see.
Two other Boyd County pitchers were part of the Coal Cats’ roster. Brown’s fellow 2024 graduate Peyton Jackson and 2021 graduate Jonathan Stevens both play for the Coal Cats as well, appearing in one game and four games respectively.
“The Coal Cats being so close has been exciting for our area and our program,” Conley said. “Those guys all had the opportunity to play at a level that many players in our area never get to. I know they appreciate the experience.”
Added to that experience is the fact that the Coal Cats have some MLB veterans on staff, including head coach Tommy Gregg, who can provide knowledge to the young players.
“Playing for former major leaguer Tommy Gregg and having an MLB veteran like Salomon Torres as his pitching coach is an invaluable experience for a player heading to his first year of college,” Conley said.
Brown said the coaching staff was teaching him things from Day 1.
“The first day I was there in person, I went straight to the bullpen with coach Torres,” Brown said. “I learned two pitches right off the bat from him, two pitches I’d never thrown before.”
Along with the staff, Brown’s interactions with fans have also made this year with the Coal Cats something special.
“The little kids that will come up and ask for autographs, pictures, and even baseballs is awesome,” Brown said. “It’s such a memorable thing to have done. Plus, meeting new friends from all over, it’s awesome.”
“If you go out there (in high school) and play your best, you can get on a team,” he added. “Just talk to your coaches, and reach out. It’s a great opportunity for sure.”
Brown will play Division I baseball for Queens University of Charlotte in the spring.
