Sad News About Ryan Bolden

From the Orange County Register

Ryan Bolden, a former top draft pick of the Angels, was killed in a shooting at an apartment complex in Atlanta on Wednesday night, according to reports.

Bolden, who was 23, was reportedly killed after an altercation that began with children arguing about candy.

The Angels selected Bolden out of Madison (Miss.) High in the compensation round of the 2010 draft, 40th overall. Bolden spent parts of four seasons in the club’s farm system, never higher than rookie-level Orem.

An outfielder, Bolden last played in the minors in 2013, leaving a career .164 average in pro baseball.

“He was a soft-spoken young man who was really well-liked within that locker room,” said Angels Class-A manager Denny Hocking, who ran the club’s extended spring program when Bolden participated in 2013. “People enjoyed being around him. He had an impact on people that he was around.”

Bolden played his first three seasons in the Arizona Rookie League, and Hocking recalled how excited Bolden was to be assigned to a short-season affiliate in 2013.

"I think it was a dream for him," Hocking said.

Although Bolden struggled on the field in the Angels system, Hocking remembered his potential: "He was extremely talented, with a great athletic body. He could make a difference in a baseball game when he put his mind to it."

I got Ryans autograph from Spring Training in 2013.