Tiedemann, who originally committed to San Diego State, tried his luck in the MLB Draft in 2020, but after five rounds, his name was not mentioned.
After a lengthy conversation with his brother, Tai, who was drafted into the Rangers in 2016, Ricky opted to drop out of a four-year school to prove he was ready to turn pro.
“I thought I was ready,” Ricky said. “So I took a gamble on myself and wanted to go to JUCO for one year, instead of waiting three years at university.”
Tiedemann found a temporary home at Long Beach Junior College, but the school canceled spring sports due to COVID-19. She was on the move again, meeting her one-year destiny at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California.
As a freshman, Tiedemann pitched in seven games, throwing 38 innings with 60 strikeouts and a 3.55 ERA.
Being selected with the 91st overall pick in the 2021 Draft by the Blue Jays made Tiedemann’s sacrifice worth it, and he’s looking to prove to himself, and to his brother, that he can perform at the highest level.
“Honestly, I think he saw something that I didn’t see in myself,” Tiedemann said. “He saw me being great at the next level and he wanted me to be different compared to everyone else. He wanted me to bet on myself probably more than I did, so he just pushed me and told me I had what I needed.” . you accept.”
Now Tiedemann is showing his talents at the Single-A level.
In Friday’s 7-0 win for Dunedin, the left-hander racked up a career-high nine strikeouts to go along with five perfect innings en route to his third win of the season. The career high for strikeouts follows three straight outings with eight strikeouts.
Although baseball fans are notoriously disappointed every time they pick up a pitcher who works with a perfect game, Tiedemann has a chance to make history in back-to-back starts.
“I know the coaches and managers have a plan for me and for the guys as well, and they have to follow it no matter what,” Tiedemann said. “I mean of course I wanted to get back out there, but I also want my guys to get their tickets too and show what they’ve got.”
In his last two starts, Tiedemann has worked a perfect game and hitless in 10 scoreless innings, allowing no hits in consecutive appearances and no runs in three straight outings.
Through four pro appearances, the 19-year-old has allowed just two runs in 20 innings (0.90 ERA), while giving up just five hits and striking out 33 batters. Each of Tiedemann’s first starts has been limited to five innings.
The only mistake on his current résumé is the 10 walks, but the little mistakes haven’t slowed him down.
“I think it’s just a general command…just be more consistent with [pitches]Tiedemann said.
His current projection in the major leagues, according to MLB Pipeline, is pegged at 2024. But the 6-foot-4 rookie is the highest-ranked pitching prospect in the organization. Tiedemann, who believes he is poised for a quick rise through the minor league ranks, could accelerate his trajectory if his success continues.
“I feel like I can compete at any level. I think I can win at any level,” Tiedeman said. “I know I can compete, but there’s definitely always room to get better, and I definitely know I can get better at a lot more things and get better as a pitcher. I think [the Blue Jays] they can see that too, and they want it to be perfect so that when it gets there, it’s unstoppable.”