C’s Chat – 2024 Vancouver Canadians RHP #14 Ryan Watson – C's Plus Baseball

2024 Vancouver Canadians pitcher Ryan Watson gets the ball for the first C’s Chat of 2025.

The man from Atlanta cobbled together his pitching career as a late bloomer in the Peach State. Watson was a reliever for North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia and helped the Bulldogs reach the final four of the state playoffs as a junior in 2017. In 2018, Watson was a first-team Class 7A all-state selection by Georgia Dugout Preview and a Rawlings-Perfect Game All-Southeast Region honourable mention.

The Sugar Hill resident remained in his home state by attending Georgia State University. Watson pitched two perfect innings for the Panthers in his 2019 college debut against the University of Illinois-Chicago and would win six of 11 decisions over 40-2/3 innings of relief. He would head from Georgia to British Columbia to join the Victoria HarbourCats of the summer collegiate West Coast League and acquitted himself well on Vancouver Island, posting a 4-1 record and a 3.42 earned run average, striking out 21 batters in 23-2/3 innings.

The 2020 season—cut short by COVID—saw Watson transition to the Panthers starting rotation where he won two of three decisions with 18 strikeouts in 19-2/3 innings. In 2021, Watson spent most of the year in the rotation and fanned 59 batters in 59-2/3 innings, splitting eight decisions and earning a couple of saves in relief. He headed to the Land of 10,000 Lakes for another stint of summer college ball with the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League. Watson stung hitters by posting a 43-3 strikeout/walk total in 38 innings while going 3-1 with a 1.66 ERA.

The 2022 season saw Watson return to the Panthers bullpen where he collected nine saves, placing him second in the Sun Belt Conference. In 2023, he was back in Georgia State starting rotation and was named a second-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection after going 7-2 with a 3.79 earned run average over 92-2/3 innings in which he fanned 86 batters. What stood out for Watson was his control as he issued the fewest walks per nine innings at 1.66 and had the best strikeout-to-walk ratio at 4.78 in the Sun Belt.

Among the highlights were Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week honours after throwing seven shutout innings and striking out seven to record the win over Georgian Southern in his final home start on May 16. His final college start resulted in National Player of the Week plaudits in which he struck out a career-high 13 batters against Georgia Southern on May 23. That helped the Panthers win their play-in round matchup to advance to the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

Unfortunately, no major league team came calling for Watson’s services so he joined the Florence Y’alls of the independent Frontier League where he put up a 3-3 record and a 3.45 ERA over eight starts.

It was back to Kentucky for Watson for 2024, but his stay in the Bluegrass state lasted for just three more starts. That’s because he put up a 17-1 K/BB total over 16-1/3 innings, winning his lone decision and recording a 2.76 ERA for the Y’alls. That resulted in the Toronto Blue Jays singing Watson as a free agent on May 31.

The first professional assignment for Watson was the Florida Complex League in early June where he struck out 25 batters and walked only four over 20-1/3 innings. He was promoted to Low-A Dunedin on July 9 where he had a 3.06 ERA over 17-2/3 innings with a 16-4 K/BB total. That led to Watson’s return to B.C. but this time on the Lower Mainland as he reported to the C’s for his Northwest League debut on August 6. That night, he gave up two runs over four innings and struck out seven Eugene Emeralds at Nat Bailey Stadium to pick up his first professional save.

Watson’s first win came in his first start with Monty’s Mounties, scattering four hits and a walk and striking out five over seven shutout innings at Spokane on August 13. He would get another win in his next start against the visiting Everett AquaSox, spinning 6-2/3 stanzas of two-run ball with four punchouts on August 20. He would end the month with a quality start (6IP, 3ER) at Hillsboro on August 27. In the postseason, Watson would serve up another quality start in Game 1 of the Northwest League Championship Series against Spokane, lasting 6-2/3 innings in which he gave up three runs and struck out six.

C’s Plus Baseball chatted with the 25-year-old Watson during the team’s final regular season homestand against Eugene in September. This interview has been edited for clarity.

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C’s Plus Baseball – Let’s talk about how you wound up with the Blue Jays. How did that all come about?

Ryan Watson – Basically I finished out my college career, five years at Georgia State in 2023. I thought I was going to get drafted or picked up. I didn’t end up getting picked up, so I went out to indy ball for about a month and a half at the end of last season. And then I trained all offseason to try and get picked up by an affiliate. That didn’t happen again, so I went back to indy ball in the Frontier League for another three or four weeks. And then the Blue Jays called, luckily, and I’ve been blessed to be here since.

CPB – Who was it that got a hold of you for the Blue Jays. Was it (director of minor league operations) Charlie Wilson?

RW – Yes, Charlie Wilson.

CPB – How did you react when you found out that you were going to play affiliated ball?

RW – It was a great feeling. We actually were on the road headed to Cleveland, and we were about 30 minutes to an hour out, and I was supposed to pitch that night. But that got pushed back, luckily. My manager told me on the bus, and I guess the bus kind of erupted after that and it was a great feeling.

CPB – What was that like playing in indy ball? What did you take away from it?

RW – Obviously it’s not the same as an affiliate but it’s similar in certain aspects. It is pro ball. I mean, you get the schedule of what you are here for so I think I was able to get acclimated to that. And I started feeling better as I kept pitching throughout the league because I had a really good year at school my last year so I was able to build off that, and it was great.

CPB – Let’s take it back to the beginning on how your career got started. What took you eventually to Georgia State? Were you always a pitcher throughout?

RW – I was actually a position player in high school up until about my senior year. I ended up pitching for the varsity team. And throughout high school, I actually did not play varsity until my junior year. So yeah, I was, I guess, a bit underdeveloped. I was like 5-(foot-6), 5-8 in high school so I had a big growth spurt my last year. I was able to gain a good bit of velocity and then I started getting looks as a pitcher. I had one Division I offer and that was Georgia State. And then I had a bunch of Peach Belt (Conference) offers—USC Aiken, North Georgia, a bunch of Division II schools. But I figured after the visit at Georgia State, I thought that was the school for me.

CPB – How did your time at Georgia State help you develop as a pitcher?

RW – I think that five years really helped me. I was able to understand who I am as a pitcher. I fill up the zone, let (the batters) make the mistake. Get ahead in the count and then step on their throat was really my mentality, and I’ve carried that over here with the strikeouts and walk ratio. I look to continue that throughout my career here with the Blue Jays.

CPB – Who would you say has helped you out the most in your career as far as developing as a pitcher?

RW – I had three different pitching coaches at Georgia State. I would say the most probably Matt Taylor and Chad Bell. And then the guys at Full Count, the facility I’ve been training at for like six years, Eric Alonzo and Brian Holmes. But my two pitching coaches at school helped a lot and I think they’ve helped me get to where I am today.

CPB – Your pitching repertoire, what is it that you’re throwing right now?

RW – I’m throwing a two-seam sinker, a cut fastball and then the sweeper and split change.

CPB – Usually, most pitchers throw the four-seamer but what was it about the two seamer? Was it more comfortable?

RW – I’m not really a guy to like, I guess, carry the ball well is what they’re saying nowadays. So my mentality is keep it low in the zone, sink it in and and make them put contact on it and hopefully ground out or (hit a) foul ball so I can get ahead of the count.

CPB – What would you say is your best pitch?

RW – I would say the cutter has been the go-to since i’ve been here. I’ve been able to gain a lot of velocity with that certain pitch and then to be able to throw the sweeper off that has been has worked great here.

CPB – Looking at the radar gun, you certainly have shown the ability to vary speeds. Is that a philosophy you always had?

RW – Yeah, one thing I’ve been working on is to obviously throw harder throughout the whole entire game rather than being able to like step on it at one pitch when I really need it. I always like to be able to do that so if I’m throwing like 92, 93 (miles per hour) and then in a certain count be able to jump up to 95 or 96 is what I tend to do but we’re working on a few things to get the average velocity up there.

CPB – What are the kind of things you work on? I know everyone wants ‘velo’ but how have you gone about trying to do that? Or what have the Blue Jays taught you?

RW – Yeah, a lot of it has to do with your mechanics and delivery. Cleaning that stuff up to where you’re in sync, your whole body’s in sync, and then obviously the weight room. So we’re doing a good job of getting in the weight room after I pitch and after the bullpens. And there’s a few things in the bullpens that I’m able to work on, like staying in my back leg more and staying closed longer to be able to keep that below longer in the game.

RW – You talked about your change-up, a split change-up. How did you develop that? Did someone show you a grip? Kevin Gausman is definitely famous for it.

RW – Actually our pitching coach in Dunedin, Cory (Cory Riordan), showed me the grip. It’s similar to like a Gausman but I haven’t been able to master that just because I’ve been throwing it for probably three or four weeks. That’s obviously something I’m gonna work on in the off-season to be able to master that so I can throw that to both lefties and righties. But yeah, it’s kind of a similar feel to the fastball in my head. I just got to simplify a few things in the delivery and make it consistent.

CPB – You joined the Dunedin Blue Jays before you got called up here. What was your experience like in Dunedin?

RW – It was great, just like it is here. They’re putting me in a great atmosphere to succeed, and there’s a lot of good people around me to help me. So I hope to continue to be able to do what I’ve been doing, and hopefully we can win a few more ballgames.

CPB – When you found out you got called up to Vancouver, how did the coaches break it to you? I know sometimes they like to have fun with it.

RW – Actually, after one of our wins in Dunedin, we were meeting, and then they kind of shouted me out, and then all the guys kind of hug you and congratulate you. So it’s a good feeling for sure.

CPB – What’s it been like for you pitching in the Northwest League?

RW – Yeah, obviously it’s a step up, the hitters are going to be a little bit better every time you step up. I think being consistent, giving us six innings and a chance to win every single game is obviously the goal. I think getting there has been good recently, maybe not my last start, but most starts I’ve been able to do that so that’s pretty much my main goal.

CPB – If you had to give a scouting report on yourself, how would you describe yourself as a pitcher?

RW – Lots of strikes, be ready to hit in the zone, and he can put you away if he gets you ahead.

CPB – Pitching here at Nat Bailey Stadium, you have bigger crowds. Have you experienced anything like that anywhere else you’ve been?

RW – Not quite this big of a crowd. It’s nice, awesome pitching in front of these people but I guess in summer ball, a few years back in college, I actually played in Canada for the Victoria HarbourCats. We would average around 2,000-3,000. It’s a step down but it’s something similar.

CPB – As you mentioned, this isn’t your first time in Canada. Was that your first time, when you were in Victoria?

RW – Yeah, that was the first time. It was a great experience, so I’m glad to be back.

CPB – Anything that stands out for you when you think back on your experience in Victoria? Any certain game or moment?

RW – Not really. I think obviously that first game I was here, being able to dominate in your first game is a great feeling but there’s nothing specific.

CPB – Did you have a favourite major league team or player growing up?

RW – Probably the Atlanta Braves just because I grew up in Atlanta. Chipper Jones was my favorite player.

CPB – Final question, the Canadians have five different uniforms— white, red, gray, black and blue, do you have a favourite?

RW – I’d probably have to say red just because I’ve pitched in red every single time and I’ve pretty much done well. Based off looks, I like blue the best, but I have a little superstition with the red jersey.

Ryan Watson File

Born – April 26, 1999, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Bats/Throws – Right/Right
Height/Weight – 6-foot-3, 204 pounds
Instagram – @ryan25watson
Uniform Numbers – Wore number 25 with the Georgia State Panthers from 2019-2023. Wore number 25 with the Florence Y’alls of the Frontier League. Wore number 55 with the Florida Complex League Blue Jays and number 14 with the Dunedin Blue Jays in 2024.
Professional Debut – June 3, 2024 with the Florida Complex League Blue Jays versus FCL Tigers.
First Professional Strikeout – June 3, 2024. Struck out the first batter he faced , Franyerber Montilla.
First Professional Win – August 13, 2024 with the Vancouver Canadians at Spokane.
First Professional Save – August 6, 2024 with the Vancouver Canadians versus Eugene.
Fun Fact – Watson was teammates with Vancouver, BC native and Cleveland Indians reliever Cade Smith and Chicago Cubs pitcher Jack Neely on the 2019 Victoria HarbourCats.
The More You Know – The previous pitcher named Watson to pitch for the C’s was 2021-2022 righty Troy Watson who also wore number 14 in 2022.