Brendan Ryan is a 6'2", 195 pound, professional baseball player and infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, who play in the Central Division of the National League. Ryan currently is the St. Louis Cardinals starting shortstop, but in recent years has also seen action at second base and third base.

Brendan Ryan, from Los Angeles California, has been on the major league roster for St. Louis for the last four years. During his time in the major leagues, Ryan has been dubbed the "team clown" and uses his personality to keep the team loose during long grueling stretches on the road.

Ryan was born on March 26, 1982, in Los Angeles, CA. He is currently single.

Brendan Ryan played his college baseball at Lewis-Clark College in Idaho, and made his pro debut on June 2, 2007. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2003 amateur draft.

2010 is Brendan Ryan's third complete season on the 25-man St. Louis Cardinals roster, as he made his major league debut during the 2007 season.

Ryan's start to the 2010 season has not been what he or the organization had hoped for, considering the 2009 success he enjoyed. With the second month of the season underway, Ryan is hitting less than .200 and is still under 20 hits for the season. Ryan's lack of production has not kept him out of the lineup, as St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa has been persistent in keeping him active.

Ryan began the season batting in the number eight slot for the Cardinals, but more recently has been placed in the number nine slot, with LaRussa batting the pitcher eighth. LaRussa's strategy is to allow Ryan more run-scoring opportunities over the course of the season.

2009 served as Ryan's breakout season, as he hit an a .292 clip, which serves as his best offensive average in his brief professional career. He was plugged into the starting lineup 95 times for the Cardinals. During the 2009 campaign, Ryan also had 114 hits and 37 runs batted in. He would miss 57 games during the 2009 season with a leg injury but did return in time for the St. Louis Cardinals playoff series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers took advantage of the cold St. Louis hitting in the series, evidenced by Ryan's 1 for 12 in the series, advancing to the National League Championship series in five games.

Ryan played in a number of minor league cities, including New Jersey, Peoria, Palm Beach, Springfield and Memphis. He spent four years in AAA ball, three in AA ball, and six seasons in A ball. He compiled a .292 batting average over his six years in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system.