Ryan Langerhans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Ryan Langerhans**

Position	Left Field
Jersey #	18
Team	Atlanta Braves
Age	26
Height	6-3
Weight	205 lb.
Bats	Left
Throws	Left
College	N/A
Place of Birth	San Antonio, Texas
Major League Debut	April 28, 2002

Ryan David Langerhans (born February 20, 1980 in San Antonio, Texas) is a Major League Baseball player with the Atlanta Braves.

Despite making his Major League debut in 2002, Langerhans did not become an everyday big-league player until 2005, getting playing time for the Braves in all three outfield positions. He is part of the group of rookie players nicknamed the "Baby Braves" that Atlanta called up from its minor league system during the 2005 season.

In his first full season with the Braves in '05, Langerhans became a fan favorite with his hustle, his solid and sometimes spectacular defense, and his penchant for coming through with clutch hits.

Langerhans started 2006 as the Braves regular left fielder but a severe dropoff in his production from 2005 combined with the hot hitting of Matt Diaz resulted in a drop in Langerhans' playing time. By the end of the 2006 season, he was a platoon left-fielder, with Matt Diaz as his right-handed partner. Scott Thorman often also took starts from Langerhans as the left-handed part of the left-field platoon. At the start of 2006 Langerhans was seen as having a future as a solid major league regular but by the end of the season he was seen as little more than a light hitting but great defensive fourth outfielder.

The Atlanta Braves will face a decision about the future of Langerhans in the 2006-2007 offseason. If they decide that Matt Diaz is the better option as a reserve outfielder then Langerhans will likely be included in a trade. However, Langerhans' superior defensive skills and ability to play all three outfield positions make it more likely that he'll be kept as the Braves' fourth outfielder.

Langerhans and his wife, Shari, live in Round Rock, Texas, where he also graduated from high school. In highschool Langerhans improved his baseball skills and participated in cross country.