Ryan Michael Bergert (born March 8, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres.
Bergert attended GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio, where he played baseball. As a senior in 2019, he went 4âÂÂ2 with a 3.19 ERA and 66 strikeouts over 37 innings. After graduating, he enrolled at West Virginia University where he played college baseball for the Mountaineers.
As a freshman at West Virginia in 2019, Bergert pitched to a 2âÂÂ0 record and a 1.85 ERA over 34 innings. As a sophomore in 2020, he posted a 2.92 ERA over innings. That summer, he played in the Northwoods League for the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders. He did not play a game with West Virginia in 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Bergert was selected by the San Diego Padres in the sixth round (190th overall) of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.
Bergert signed with the Padres and made his professional debut near the end of the 2021 season with the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Padres, giving up no earned runs over 11 innings. He played the 2022 season with the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps, starting 24 games and going 4âÂÂ10 with a 5.84 ERA and 129 strikeouts over innings. He returned to Fort Wayne to open the 2023 season. He was promoted to the Double-A San Antonio Missions in mid-July. Over 23 games (twenty starts), Bergert went 6âÂÂ4 with a 2.73 ERA and 126 strikeouts over innings.
Bergert was assigned back to San Antonio to open the 2024 season. In 23 starts for the Missions, he logged a 2âÂÂ10 record and 4.78 ERA with 87 strikeouts across 98 innings of work. Following the season, the Padres added Bergert to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Bergert was optioned to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas to begin the 2025 season. On April 25, 2025, the Padres selected Bergert's contract and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut on April 26, pitching one scoreless inning in relief versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Bergert recorded his first career win on May 5, in the Padres' win over the New York Yankees. In 11 appearances (seven starts) for San Diego, he compiled a 1âÂÂ0 record and 2.78 ERA with 34 strikeouts across innings pitched.
On July 31, 2025, the Padres traded Bergert and Stephen Kolek to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for catcher Freddy FermÃÂn. Bergert made his Royals debut on August 5 versus the Boston Red Sox and gave up two runs over innings. He was placed on the injured list on September 18 with forearm tightness, ending his season. Bergert made eight starts for the Royals and went 1âÂÂ2 with a 4.43 ERA and 39 strikeouts across innings.
Bergert was optioned to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers to open the 2026 season.