Ryan Raburn is a former professional baseball player who spent 12 seasons in the Major Leagues. He was primarily an outfielder and played for five different teams during his career.
Raburn was born on April 17, 1981, in Tampa, Florida. He attended Durant High School in Plant City, Florida, where he played baseball and football. After graduating in 2000, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 18th round of the MLB draft but chose to attend college instead.
Raburn played college baseball at South Florida Community College and then at the University of Florida. He was drafted again in 2001, this time by the Detroit Tigers in the fifth round. He signed with the Tigers and began his professional career in their minor league system.
Raburn made his Major League debut with the Tigers in 2004. He played in 29 games that season and hit .227 with two home runs and six RBIs. Over the next few seasons, Raburn bounced between the Major Leagues and the minor leagues, playing for the Tigers and their Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens.
In 2009, Raburn became a regular player for the Tigers. He played in 113 games that season and hit .291 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs. He continued to be a productive player for the Tigers over the next few seasons, playing primarily in the outfield and occasionally at second base.
Raburn became a free agent after the 2012 season and signed with the Cleveland Indians. He played for the Indians for three seasons, from 2013 to 2015. He was primarily a bench player during his time in Cleveland, but he had some memorable moments, including hitting two home runs in a playoff game against the New York Yankees in 2017.
After leaving the Indians, Raburn played for the Colorado Rockies in 2016 and the Washington Nationals in 2017. He struggled during his time with those teams, hitting just .220 with four home runs and 21 RBIs over those two seasons.
Raburn announced his retirement from baseball in March 2018. Over his 12-year career, he played in 939 games and hit .254 with 91 home runs and 359 RBIs. He was known for his versatility, as he played every position except for pitcher and catcher during his career.
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