Ryan Raburn - Professional Career

Professional Career

After two seasons of college baseball, the Detroit Tigers selected Raburn in the 5th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft. Raburn signed and began playing in the minor leagues at third base, his natural position. In 2004, the Tigers, lacking depth in the middle infield, moved Raburn to second base. Raburn was a September call-up during the 2004 season for the Tigers, playing in 12 games.

Following the 2006 season, the Tigers chose to not add Raburn to the 40-man roster. This left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft, allowing any team to add him for a cost of $50,000; provided he spent the entire season on a major league roster. Raburn was not selected and returned to the Tigers and their Triple-A affiliate Toledo Mud Hens.

2007 season

Raburn would not have a chance to play in the major leagues again until 2007, when Tigers utility infielder Neifi Pérez was suspended 25 games after testing positive for amphetamine usage. Raburn had a two-out RBI single in his first at bat of that season. On July 25 against the Chicago White Sox, Raburn went 4–5 with two home runs, a double and a single and had a total of seven RBIs.

Raburn earned the 2007 Tigers Rookie of the Year award from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.

2008 season

Raburn entered the 2008 season at Toledo, but was called up for a reserve role with the Tigers. During the 2008 season, Raburn has made sporadic starts at third base, second base, and all three outfield positions. Manager Jim Leyland has often employed Raburn as a late-innings defensive replacement in the outfield or as a pinch runner.

Raburn hit his first career grand slam on June 28, 2008 against Colorado Rockies pitcher Jeff Francis.

2009 season

During spring training, Raburn spent time learning the catcher position, as well as first base, in an effort to provide more versatility to his resume. He did not make the Tigers 25-man roster and began the 2009 season playing for the Toledo Mud Hens. He was called up to Detroit in April when Marcus Thames was placed on the disabled list.

On June 8, 2009, Raburn made his first career start at first base. It was the sixth different position he had started at in the major leagues.

On June 23, 2009, Raburn hit his first career walk-off home run to lift the Tigers over the Chicago Cubs 5–4. According to Raburn, it was the first walk-off home run he had ever hit, including the minors leagues, college, high school, and Little League.

2010 season

Raburn made the Tigers opening day roster for the first time in his career. He entered the 2010 season as a key bench player expecting to see time at every defensive position except catcher and shortstop. As of mid-June, Raburn was regularly filling in for injured right fielder Magglio Ordóñez, but was hitting poorly. During the second half of the season, when he became an everyday starter primarily playing in the outfield, his bat heated up. By the end of 2010, he had played in 113 games, and sported a .280 batting average with 15 home runs and 61 RBIs.

2011 season

Raburn signed a two-year contract extension after the 2010 season, and was a regular starter in left field at the beginning of the 2011 season. Near the end of May, Raburn took over at second base after Scott Sizemore was traded to the Oakland Athletics. In addition, another Tiger second baseman, Carlos Guillen, was on the disabled list through the entire first half. Raburn's batting average slumped in the first half (.213 at the All-Star break), but he showed flashes of power with eight home runs. Andy Dirks and new acquisition Delmon Young played Raburn's left field position for much of the second half while he saw more time at second base. After another strong second half, Raburn finished the 2011 regular season at .256 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs in 387 at-bats.

2012 season

Although his six Spring Training homers shared the team lead, Raburn began the regular season mired in a significant slump, at one point batting .091 (4 for 44). He was eventually optioned to Toledo on May 30, 2012, with a batting average of .146. He was recalled on June 14.

On November 20, Raburn was released by the Tigers.