The St. Louis Cardinals have lost a member of their IT staff after trading right-handed pitcher Ryan Loutos to the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash. Loutos, who briefly played for the Cardinals in 2024, studied computer science at Washington University in St. Louis and contributed to coding the “Chirp” app, which helps pitchers analyze their performances.
Loutos joined the Cardinals as a free agent in 2021 after going undrafted and playing in the Northwoods League. Over five minor league seasons, he posted a 4.82 ERA in 220.1 innings. During his short stint in St. Louis, Loutos pitched in three games, allowing no runs on two hits across 2.1 innings.
After the Cardinals promoted Jose Barrero from Triple-A Memphis and demoted Thomas Saggese, Loutos was designated for assignment. He had appeared to be bouncing back from a rough 2023 season, having pitched seven shutout innings for the Memphis Redbirds before the trade. His only runs allowed this season came in his first outing.
Loutos had been one of the more intriguing prospects in the Cardinals’ system. He could have an interesting post-baseball career, especially in the tech industry, as he was known as the “tech guy” in the minors. Players would often turn to him for help with the Chirp app.
Loutos likely contributed to the Cardinals’ effort to improve their pitching development system, which had struggled in recent years. The team hopes that Loutos’ exit won’t turn into another missed opportunity, similar to the Adolis García situation. With his recent strong performances, the Dodgers, known for developing young talent, could be the ideal place for Loutos to thrive. Given their track record, don’t be surprised if he excels in the coming years.
