Ryan Goleski
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Ryan Steven Goleski (born March 19, 1982) is a professional baseball player currently on the roster of the Akron Aeros. He bats and throws right handed and plays mostly in right field. Goleski spent the 2006 season splitting time between the Akron Aeros and the Kinston Indians in the Cleveland Indians organization.
Goleski was originally selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 24th round (708th overall) in the 2003 amateur entry draft. Prior to that, he prepped at Lake Orion High School before playing collegiately at Eastern Michigan University. At Eastern, Goleski set the record for most home runs hit in a career in only 3 seasons of play. He entered the Indians system in the fall of 2003, playing for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York-Penn League. In 2004 while playing for the Lake County Captains, Goleski was named to the South Atlantic League postseason All Star team. Baseball America rated Ryan as having the strongest outfield throwing arm in the Indians minor league system in both 2005 and 2006. In 2006 he was also named the organization's best power hitting prospect [1].
On December 7, 2006, Goleski was the first player selected in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft; going to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays [2]. He was immediately traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations ($100,000). Per the stipulations of the Rule 5 draft, Goleski must remain on the Athletics major league roster for the entire season, or he will be offered back to the Indians for a fee of $25,000. Goleski did not make the Athletics 25 man roster and as a result was returned to the Cleveland Indians on March 28, 2007.
