1. Overview
Ryan Robert Feierabend is an American former professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned across Major League Baseball (MLB), the KBO League in South Korea, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan, and independent leagues. Born on August 22, 1985, Feierabend was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2003, making his MLB debut in 2006. After several stints in the Major League system, he found significant success in the KBO League, particularly with the KT Wiz, where he became known for his knuckleball and won an ERA title in 2017. Following brief periods in the CPBL and independent baseball, he announced his retirement from playing in September 2021. Feierabend has since transitioned into coaching, joining the Miami Marlins organization as a pitching coach in 2025.
2. Early Life and Amateur Career
Ryan Robert Feierabend was born on August 22, 1985, in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. He attended Midview High School in Grafton, Ohio. His professional baseball journey began when he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft, as the 86th overall pick.

3. Professional Baseball Career
Ryan Feierabend's professional baseball career was extensive, encompassing time in Major League Baseball, the KBO League, the Chinese Professional Baseball League, and various independent circuits. He primarily played as a left-handed pitcher.
3.1. Major League Baseball
Feierabend's Major League Baseball career included stints with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Toronto Blue Jays. He made his debut in 2006 and continued to appear in the majors intermittently until his final appearance in 2019.
3.1.1. Seattle Mariners
Feierabend's initial professional years were within the Seattle Mariners organization. In 2006, he played for the Double-A San Antonio Missions, where he recorded a 9-12 win-loss record with a 4.28 ERA in 28 starts. He was called up to the major league roster on September 8, 2006, making his MLB debut on September 13. He threw six scoreless innings over his first two major league relief appearances before making his first start on September 24 against the Chicago White Sox, where he took the loss. He finished the 2006 season with a 3.71 ERA in 17.0 innings.
In 2007, Feierabend started the season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers but had four separate call-ups to the Mariners. He made his season debut on May 29 in a start against the Los Angeles Angels and secured his first career MLB win-his only one of the season-on June 3 against the Texas Rangers, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits while striking out 5 batters in a career-high 7.66 innings. He was optioned back to Tacoma the following day. Despite a 0.77 ERA in four relief appearances, he concluded the season with a 1-6 record and a 10.27 ERA in nine starts for the Mariners.

Feierabend again began the 2008 season in Tacoma, where he was named the Mariners' Triple-A Pitcher of the Year. He posted a 7-1 record with a 2.16 ERA in 13 starts for Tacoma, including a 3-0 record and a 1.49 ERA in seven starts at Cheney Stadium. He spent time on the minor league disabled list from May 17 to July 24 due to a left elbow strain, the first time in his career he was sidelined. After rehabilitation appearances, he was recalled to Seattle on August 17. He recorded his only win of the season and what would be his final MLB career win on September 7 against the New York Yankees. Despite pitching only 39.66 innings, he led the Mariners and tied for fifth in the American League with six pickoffs.
On March 15, 2009, Feierabend underwent left elbow surgery, which forced him to miss the entire 2009 season. He returned to pitch in 25 games across three minor league levels in 2010. On November 6, Feierabend elected free agency.
3.1.2. Philadelphia Phillies
On November 19, 2010, Feierabend signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and received an invitation to spring training. In 2011, he primarily pitched for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, where he made 23 starts (28 total appearances), compiling a 10-8 record with a 5.39 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 132 innings. On November 2, 2011, he elected free agency, although he later re-signed with the Phillies organization before being released prior to the 2012 season on March 18.
3.1.3. York Revolution and Cincinnati Reds
In April 2012, Feierabend joined the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. His performance there led to him signing with the Cincinnati Reds organization on June 6, 2012. However, he struggled during his brief tenure with the Triple-A Louisville Bats, posting a 6.75 ERA in 7 starts. He was released by the Reds on July 21, after which he returned to the York Revolution.
3.1.4. Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers signed Feierabend to a minor league contract, which included an invitation to spring training, on January 15, 2013. In 2013, he split his time between the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and Triple-A Round Rock Express, accumulating a 7-7 record with a 3.70 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 148.33 innings in 29 games (21 starts). On December 20, he re-signed with the Rangers organization on a new minor league deal.
On July 12, 2014, the Rangers selected Feierabend's contract and added him to their active roster. He made six relief appearances for the Rangers, giving up 5 runs in 7.33 innings. He was designated for assignment on August 1 and returned to Round Rock. Feierabend elected free agency in October 2014.
3.1.5. Toronto Blue Jays
On February 14, 2019, Feierabend signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was called up to the major league roster on May 18. The same day, he pitched the Blue Jays' only complete game of the season, albeit in a 4-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox. The game was officially called due to rain after the top of the fifth inning, with Feierabend having pitched four innings. He made one additional appearance on May 23, giving up 3 earned runs in 0.66 innings in what would be his final MLB game. He was designated for assignment on May 24, cleared waivers, and was assigned outright to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He elected free agency following the 2019 season.
3.2. KBO League
Ryan Feierabend had a significant and impactful career in the KBO League (Korea Baseball Organization), where he became a prominent pitcher known for his consistency. His KBO registration name was 피어밴드PieobaendeuKorean, also noted as ピオベンドゥPiobeondūJapanese in Japanese.
3.2.1. Nexen Heroes
On December 3, 2014, Feierabend signed a one-year deal worth 270.00 K USD to play for the Nexen Heroes (now Kiwoom Heroes). His total contract value, including options, was 380.00 K USD. In his first KBO season in 2015, he recorded a 13-11 win-loss record with a 4.67 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 30 starts. Although he re-signed for the 2016 season, his performance declined, with a 5-7 record and a 4.64 ERA in 19 games. Consequently, he was released by the Heroes mid-season on July 22, 2016.
3.2.2. KT Wiz
Just one week after his release from the Nexen Heroes, Feierabend signed with the KT Wiz of the KBO League on July 29, 2016, as a replacement for Johan Pino. In his first game for the KT Wiz on July 31, he pitched a season-high 8 scoreless innings, earning the win and marking a successful return to the KBO.
He re-signed with the KT Wiz for the 2017 season for 680.00 K USD. Starting in 2017, Feierabend began consistently incorporating the knuckleball into his pitching repertoire, which became a signature pitch. That season, he achieved a remarkable 3.04 ERA, the lowest in the league, earning him the ERA title. This was the first individual title won by a player in the KT Wiz's team history. Despite his dominant ERA, he finished the season with an 8-10 record due to low run support from his team.
Feierabend re-signed with the KT Wiz again for the 2018 season for 1.05 M USD. He recorded 8 wins that year. Following the 2018 season, he became a free agent.
3.3. Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL)
On January 31, 2020, Feierabend signed with the Uni-President Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. He made 10 starts (11 appearances), recording a 2-3 record with a 4.74 ERA in 57.0 innings pitched. On June 26, 2020, the Lions announced that Feierabend would be leaving the team effective July 1. This decision was driven by his desire to be with his family during the COVID-19 pandemic and his inability to agree to terms for a proposed contract extension.
3.4. Independent Leagues (Final Stint)
On April 8, 2021, Feierabend signed with the Lake Erie Crushers of the independent Frontier League. In his final professional playing experience, he posted an 8-5 record with a 2.80 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 93.33 innings pitched across 18 games.
4. Retirement
On September 6, 2021, Ryan Feierabend officially announced his retirement from professional baseball, concluding his playing career after nearly two decades.
5. Coaching Career
Following his playing career, Ryan Feierabend transitioned into coaching. On February 11, 2025, the Miami Marlins hired Feierabend to serve as the pitching coach for their Single-A affiliate, the Jupiter Hammerheads.
6. Playing Style and Key Achievements
Ryan Feierabend was a left-handed pitcher whose style evolved significantly, especially with the consistent adoption of the knuckleball from 2017 onwards. This pitch became a cornerstone of his repertoire and contributed to his success in the KBO League. His most significant achievement was winning the ERA title in the KBO League in 2017, where he recorded a stellar 3.04 ERA, marking him as the league's most effective pitcher that season. This was also a historic achievement for the KT Wiz, being the franchise's first individual title.
7. Career Statistics
Ryan Feierabend's professional career included various stints across Major League Baseball, the KBO League, and the Chinese Professional Baseball League. The following tables provide an overview of his pitching statistics in each league.
7.1. Major League Baseball Statistics
Year | Team | G | GS | W | L | SV | HLD | ERA | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | SEA | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.71 | 17.0 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 1.29 |
2007 | SEA | 13 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8.03 | 49.1 | 73 | 44 | 44 | 10 | 23 | 27 | 1.95 |
2008 | SEA | 8 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7.71 | 39.2 | 59 | 34 | 34 | 7 | 14 | 26 | 1.84 |
2014 | TEX | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6.14 | 7.1 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1.91 |
2019 | TOR | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11.12 | 5.2 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2.12 |
MLB Career Totals | 33 | 20 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 7.34 | 119.0 | 170 | 97 | 97 | 22 | 47 | 72 | 1.82 |
7.2. KBO League Statistics
Year | Team | G | GS | W | L | SV | HLD | ERA | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | NEX | 30 | 30 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 4.67 | 177.1 | 202 | 101 | 92 | 23 | 61 | 137 | 1.48 |
2016 | NEX | 19 | 19 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4.64 | 110.2 | 139 | 60 | 57 | 18 | 28 | 82 | 1.51 |
2016 | KT | 12 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4.16 | 71.1 | 92 | 37 | 33 | 5 | 20 | 62 | 1.57 |
2016 (Total KBO) | 31 | 30 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 4.45 | 182.0 | 231 | 97 | 90 | 23 | 48 | 144 | 1.53 | |
2017 | KT | 26 | 26 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3.04 | 160.0 | 153 | 67 | 54 | 20 | 31 | 132 | 1.15 |
2018 | KT | 27 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4.30 | 163.1 | 186 | 90 | 78 | 24 | 38 | 141 | 1.37 |
KBO Career Totals | 83 | 82 | 28 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 4.09 | 500.2 | 541 | 265 | 224 | 67 | 130 | 413 | 1.34 |
7.3. CPBL Statistics
Year | Team | G | GS | W | L | SV | HLD | ERA | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | UNI | 11 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4.74 | 57.0 | 67 | 33 | 30 | 5 | 20 | 55 | 1.53 |
CPBL Career Totals | 11 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4.74 | 57.0 | 67 | 33 | 30 | 5 | 20 | 55 | 1.53 |
8. Uniform Numbers
Ryan Feierabend wore various uniform numbers throughout his professional baseball career across different teams and leagues:
- 63 (2006, Seattle Mariners)
- 31 (2007-2008, Seattle Mariners; 2015 - mid-2016, Nexen Heroes)
- 34 (2012, York Revolution)
- 68 (2014, Texas Rangers)
- 32 (mid-2016 - 2018, KT Wiz)
- 60 (2019, Toronto Blue Jays)
- 54 (2020, Uni-President Lions)