He transferred to Texas Christian University and finished his collegiate career with the TCU Horned Frogs.

The Texas Rangers, his father's team at the time, selected him in the 17th round (477th overall) of the 1994 Major League Baseball draft.

He pitched for the Class A Short Season Hudson Valley Renegades in 1994,[4][5] putting together a 5-5 record with a 2.89 earned run average (ERA) and 1.30 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) in 84 innings.

[6] Along with his father, his brother Reese, and former Astros part-owner Don Sanders, Ryan is the CEO and president of Ryan-Sanders Baseball, Inc., a group that owns the Round Rock Express of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Class AA Texas League.

[7] On May 16, 2013, the Astros announced hiring Ryan as their president, following the resignation of George Postolos.