Ryan Kirby entered his first season with San Diego in 2022 as a volunteer assistant coach.
With Kirby in the first base coaching box, the 2022 campaign saw San Diego return to heights not seen in Alcala Park in nearly a decade. The Toreros went 37-20 (17-10 WCC), placing tied for second in the West Coast Conference’s regular-season standings before completing a rousing run through the WCC Tournament bracket at Banner Island Ballpark to take home the team’s second-ever WCC Tournament Championship.The victory advanced USD to the NCAA Corvallis Regional, where it opened the event with a signature win over perennial powerhouse Vanderbilt, beating the Commodores 3-2 before a packed crowd at Goss Stadium and a national audience watching at home on ESPNU.
His first season with the Toreros saw him help direct the West Coast Conference's top offense, steering San Diego to the league lead in runs scored (390), hits (565), home runs (57), runs batted in (359), batting average (.286), on-base percentage (.384), and slugging percentage (.437) while striking out the second-least (375 times) of the WCC’s 10 teams. This excellence at the plate was paired with elite defense — San Diego’s .980 fielding percentage in 2022 led the WCC and ranked 15th nationally. Kirby's guidance helped catcher Caleb Ricketts earn the 10th WCC Player of the Year honor in program history alongside all-conference selections for three other players (infielders Chase Meidroth, Kevin Sim, and RJ Teijeiro), including three to the First Team (Ricketts, Sim, and Meidroth).
San Diego's historic campaign culminated with two of Kirby's players being selected in the 2022 MLB Draft: infielder Chase Meidroth to the Boston Red Sox (fourth round, 129th overall pick) and catcher Caleb Ricketts to the Philadelphia Phillies (seventh round, 212th overall pick). Paired with the two USD pitchers that were selected (lefties Brycen Mautz and Ian Churchill), the group represented the most Toreros taken in the first two rounds of the draft since 2010.
Kirby, who was a three-year standout for the Toreros as a player from 2014-2016, rejoined San Diego after a four-year professional career with the Giants organization that began when he was selected in the 12th round (365th overall pick) of the 2016 MLB Draft by San Francisco. Kirby compiled a .241 average with 30 home runs, 72 doubles, 17 stolen bases, and 180 RBIs in 308 minor-league games as a first baseman and outfielder.
Kirby's time at USD saw the Livermore, California native bat .301 with 10 home runs, 16 doubles, and 58 RBIs in 115 games and help lead USD to the 2015 West Coast Conference Championship.
He attended Granada High School and his father, Patrick Kirby, played baseball at Cal Poly.
