When pondering what makes a good baseball player, it can be easy to get caught up in statistics like RBI and home runs. But is the player who hits the most truly the best?
Cotuit’s Ryan Tyranski can impact a game without hitting. He currently leads the Kettleers in walks with 20 while ranking No. 2 in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
“On-base percentage is the most important statistic in baseball,” Tyranski said. “I'm not mad when I walk. If I'm getting on base, I'm happy. That’s really what I'm trying to do at the end of the day: get on base by whatever means necessary.”
Tyranski’s tendency to walk is not an anomaly, as he led the Royal Oak Leprechauns in walks with 51 in 2025. As a redshirt freshman at Cincinnati, he recorded the second most with 38.
Tyranski traces this trend back to his approach, which he utilizes heavily with the Bearcats. It’s simple but effective: “Get the right pitch, be on time, and if you don't get that pitch, we're taking it, even if it's a strike,” he said.
Players who walk a lot possess several positive qualities. Tyranski has a strong understanding of the strike zone, an impressive amount of patience and a bit of luck. Funnily enough, one of those traits doesn’t appear off the field. When asked if he’s a patient person, Tyranski couldn’t help but laugh.
“Honestly, not really,” he said. “If you ask anyone, they'd say, ‘I don't think Ryan would be taking a lot of pitches. He's probably getting ready to go out there and swing at the first pitch and swing as hard as he can.’”
Nevertheless, that patience is very much present when he’s playing. Tyranski doesn’t get antsy in the box, which he credits to his ability to stay composed.
“I feel like from a scout's perspective, if there's something I'm noticing about myself, it’s my comfortability out there,” Tyranski said. “I'm never overwhelmed by any pitcher, no matter who I'm facing.”
Like every player, Tyranski is by no means perfect. Sometimes, he’ll swing at a bad pitch. Sometimes, he won’t swing, and it’ll be a strike. What makes him a good athlete is his ability to recognize and admit his faults while staying true to himself and, of course, his approach.
Cotuit coach Rob Cooper made it very clear that while Tyranski walks a lot, he can hit. On the season, he has seven hits, one of which is a home run, but he also contributes to the Kettleers in other ways.
“He’s a really good defender at first, (and) he’s a really good defender in the outfield,” Cooper said. “He's the kind of guy that can give you a quality at-bat and help your team win even if he's not getting a couple hits in the game.”
As Cotuit’s season continues, Tyranski will look to help the Kettleers win. He will stick to his approach, and if that means he continues to walk, he will do so happily.
