The signing of Ryan Bollinger isn’t breaking news and won’t be featured as part of an MLB.com story, however, the 27-year-old journeyman pitcher gives new meaning to “journeyman.” Bollinger’s worldwide travels now take him to the San Diego Padres organization, where he will have an opportunity to compete with a deep corps of relievers expected to enter spring training.
Bollinger played his high school baseball in North Dakota. Not exactly a hot-bed of high school baseball talent, the Philadelphia Phillies discovered Bollinger deep in Minot, North Dakota and used a 47th-round draft choice on the first baseman, who bypassed his JUCO commitment to play minor league baseball.