Ryan Costello (baseball)

Ryan Christopher Costello (June 13, 1996 – November 18, 2019) was an American professional baseball infielder. He played college baseball for Central Connecticut State University, and was playing in the Minnesota Twins organization at the time of his death.

Not to be confused with Ryan Anthony Costello, attorney and politician.
Ryan Costello
Costello with the Fort Myers Miracle in 2019
Infielder
Born: (1996-06-13)June 13, 1996
Wethersfield, Connecticut
Died: November 18, 2019(2019-11-18) (aged 23)
Auckland, New Zealand
Batted: Left
Threw: Right

Career

Costello attended Wethersfield High School in Wethersfield, Connecticut.[1][2] Undrafted out of high school in the 2014 MLB draft, he enrolled at Central Connecticut State University, where he played college baseball.[3] As a freshman in 2015, he appeared in 37 games (with 34 being starts), batting .248 with two home runs and 13 RBIs.[4] Following his first collegiate baseball season, he played for the Bristol Blues during the summer.[5] In 2016, as a sophomore, he was batting .324 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in thirty games before an injury ended his season.[6] He returned from the injury that summer and played for the Keene Swamp Bats where he hit .264 with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 42 games.[7] As a junior in 2017, he batted .296 with nine home runs and 52 RBIs in 58 games.[8]

After his junior year, he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 31st round of the 2017 MLB draft.[9] He signed for $5,000[10] and made his professional debut that year for the Arizona League Mariners, batting .331/.430/.634 with eight home runs and 38 RBIs in 44 games. He began 2018 with the Clinton LumberKings,[11] with whom he was named to the Midwest League All-Star Game[12] where he participated in the Home Run Derby.[13]

On July 30, 2018, Costello (along with Chase De Jong) was traded to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Zach Duke.[14] He was assigned to their minor league affiliate, Fort Myers Miracle, and finished the season there. In 128 games between Clinton and Fort Myers, he hit .258 with twenty home runs and 79 RBIs.[15] He returned to Fort Myers to begin 2019, and was promoted to the Twins' Double-A affiliate Pensacola Blue Wahoos during the season. Over 108 games with the two clubs, Costello batted .223/.343./412 with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs.[16]

Death

Costello died on November 18, 2019, in Auckland, New Zealand, while preparing to start the Australian Baseball League season with the Auckland Tuatara.[16][17] He was 23 years old. Costello was found dead in his hotel room bed by teammates.[18][19] An autopsy revealed that he died of sudden cardiac arrhythmia. In February 2022, his parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the physician who conducted Costello's preseason physical, alleging that he intentionally ignored ECG results showing that Costello had Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome which likely caused the sudden cardiac arrhythmia that led to his death.[20]

See also

References
  1. "CCC baseball: Gamme, East Catholic top Wethersfield". GameTime CT. May 6, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  2. Matthew Doran (June 3, 2014). "New Canaan baseball rallies, beats Wethersfield in 9". Stamford Advocate. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  3. "Get To Know: Twins First Base Prospect Ryan Costello". Twins Daily. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  4. "Ryan Costello – New England Collegiate Baseball League – player". Pointstreak Sports Technologies. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  5. jgoralski (July 2, 2015). "Bristol Blues continue their hot hand: Locals finish the week with a four-game winning streak". Southington Observer. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  6. Mike Anthony. "Central's Hinckley Appreciates Being Able To Show Prowess As Pitcher And Hitter". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  7. "Former SwampBat Costello part of three-player trade". The Keene Sentinel. July 31, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  8. "New Britain Herald – Three former Blues selected on third day of MLB draft". Central Connecticut Communications. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  9. "Wethersfield Graduate Selected in Major League Baseball Draft". Patch Media. June 16, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  10. Michael M. McMahon (June 16, 2017). "Costello's road to pro baseball led straight through Keene". The Keene Sentinel. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  11. Dom Amore. "Wethersfield's Ryan Costello Slugging His Way Through The Minor Leagues". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  12. Erik Oas (June 6, 2018). "Jack Larsen, Ryan Costello, Ryne Inman, & Collin Kober named to All-StarTeam". MiLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  13. "Ryan Costello to appear in Home Run Derby". MiLB.com. June 9, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  14. "Mariners Acquire LHP Zach Duke from Minnesota". MarinersPR. July 30, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  15. "Ryan Costello Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  16. Daren Smith (November 18, 2019). "Twins' Costello found dead in New Zealand". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  17. "Baseball: Auckland Tuatara players mourning after death of third baseman Ryan Costello". New Zealand Herald. November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  18. "Auckland Tuatara: Baseball side stunned by death of player Ryan Costello". Stuff.co.nz. November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  19. Tim Jensen (November 18, 2019). "Pro Baseball Player From Wethersfield Found Dead In New Zealand". Patch Media. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  20. "Family of pro baseball player Ryan Costello files wrongful death lawsuit in Lee County". February 4, 2022.
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