Nolan Ryan photo. 11x17 inches Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr. (born January 31, 1947), nicknamed The Ryan Express, is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, previous chief executive officer (CEO) of the Texas Rangers, and previous executive advisor to the Houston Astros. Over a record 27-year career, Ryan pitched for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999