Esteury Ruiz

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #8 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Ruiz generated buzz by winning MVP honors in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2017. He spent that campaign with the Royals until they traded him to the Padres that summer. Ruiz's performance slowed until 2022, when he hit well in the upper minors and made his MLB debut with the Padres. San Diego traded him to the Brewers at the trade deadline as part of the return for Josh Hader, and then Milwaukee traded him to the Athletics in the December three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy to the Braves and William Contreras to the Brewers.
  
  Scouting Report: Ruiz posted huge numbers in several categories in 2022. He has a wiry build, loads with a simple toe tap and--despite a long swing--has good contact skills. Ruiz showed more patience in 2022 with 66 walks in 114 minor league games after drawing 54 in 182 games combined the previous two seasons. Despite an impressive slash line, Ruiz faces skepticism on how his bat will translate to the major leagues. His swing has leverage and generates loft, but his average exit velocity of 85 mph in the minor leagues in 2022 would rank among the worst in the majors, with all of his home runs coming pull side. Ruiz is a plus-plus runner who likes to bunt and steal. He swiped a minor league-best 85 bases in 99 attempts (86%) and should be a prolific basestealer in the majors. Ruiz mostly played second base until 2019 when he moved to the outfield, and after a learning curve the first few years, he has developed into at least an average center field defender with a below-average arm.
  
  The Future: If Ruiz can show enough power to translate against MLB pitchers, he could become an everyday player. If not, he could end up a righthanded-hitting reserve with speed and defense.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 40
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #26 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Ruiz signed with the Royals for $100,000 in 2015 and got the Padres attention two years later in the Rookie-level Arizona League, crushing the circuit on his way to winning the league MVP award. The Padres acquired him in the middle of the season in a trade for Trevor Cahill, Brandon Maurer and Ryan Buchter. Ruiz followed up with 12 home runs and 49 stolen bases at low Class A Fort Wayne in 2018, but that came with a concerning 29 percent strikeout rate.
  
  Scouting Report: Ruiz physically resembles Alfonso Soriano with his crouched stance, long body and whippy swing, but he's not that level of player. Ruiz is a plus runner and smart basestealer, and he showed above-average power at times. Ruiz's shortcoming is he is overly aggressive, swinging through fastballs up and breaking balls down. He doesn't adjust his approach with two strikes and his swing is long, preventing from projecting as more than a fringe-average hitter. Ruiz has the athleticism to play second base, but his hard hands and poor throwing accuracy portend a move to the outfield.
  
  The Future: Ruiz's power-speed combo is exciting, but he has to improve his approach. He'll try to make the necessary strides at high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #15 prospect in 2018
  Ruiz signed with the Royals for $100,000 in 2015 and is quickly proving a bargain. After a brilliant start in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2017, Ruiz joined the Padres along with lefthanders Travis Wood and Matt Strahm in a July 24 trade for Trevor Cahill, Ryan Buchter and Brandon Maurer. Ruiz performed as well after the trade as before it, and finished first in the AZL in hitting (.350), doubles (20) and triples (10) and was named MVP. Compared physically to a greyhound, Ruiz's wiry build belies his strong wrists, explosive hands and excellent bat speed. He produces frequent hard contact to all fields, and his long arms provide leverage to generate loft and in-game power. Ruiz will swing and miss and has some empty at-bats, but his overall package is enough to project a potential above-average hitter with above-average power as he gets stronger. Ruiz has average speed but is a prolific basestealer with his superb instincts and motor. He isn't particularly rangy and gets hard-handed at second base, leading some to believe a move to the outfield may be in store. Ruiz's potent bat should carry him, regardless. He'll head to low Class A Fort Wayne in 2018.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Midwest League #16 prospect in 2018
  Multiple scouts compared Ruiz's body and profile to Alfonso Soriano, which is a pretty lofty comparison for a teenager. The Padres acquired Ruiz from the Royals at the trade deadline in July 2017. In his first exposure to full-season ball, he showed solid average power to go with aggressive baserunning that made his average speed play up significantly. Ruiz's 49 stolen bases led the league and he was successful on 81 percent of attempts. But scouts were even more impressed with his developing hit and power potential. Ruiz's swing is geared to produce plenty of contact (especially once he improves his pitch recognition). His long arms helps him get to average power right now with more power potential to come. He is a solid defender at second base and slid over to third base on occasion. Ruiz's mix of average and above-average tools makes Ruiz a potentially well-rounded middle infielder.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #10 prospect in 2017
  One of the season's biggest surprises was the emergence of Ruiz, first with the Royals and later the Padres after he was included in a midsummer trade that sent three big league pitchers to Kansas City. Slender but wiry strong, Ruiz, led the league in hitting (.350), doubles (20) and triples (10) and was named MVP. With Ruiz, it's all about his bat. His plus power to all fields comes from an advanced approach at the plate and long arms that give leverage to his swing. He is an average runner out of the box but possesses another gear that gives him a tick above average speed. His smarts on the bases allowed him to steal 26 bases in 32 attempts. Ruiz is a below-average defender, but his hands are decent and he could become average with more experience. The way he carries himself on the field is another of his strong points. "He said he was taught at an early age how to respect the game," Padres manager Shaun Cole said. "That's a rarity . . . His baseball savvy is way, way above-average."

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Ruiz generated buzz by winning MVP honors in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2017. He spent that campaign with the Royals until they traded him to the Padres that summer. Ruiz's performance slowed until 2022, when he hit well in the upper minors and made his MLB debut with the Padres. San Diego traded him to the Brewers at the trade deadline as part of the return for Josh Hader, and then Milwaukee traded him to the Athletics in the December three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy to the Braves and William Contreras to the Brewers.
  
  Scouting Report: Ruiz posted huge numbers in several categories in 2022. He has a wiry build, loads with a simple toe tap and--despite a long swing--has good contact skills. Ruiz showed more patience in 2022 with 66 walks in 114 minor league games after drawing 54 in 182 games combined the previous two seasons. Despite an impressive slash line, Ruiz faces skepticism on how his bat will translate to the major leagues. His swing has leverage and generates loft, but his average exit velocity of 85 mph in the minor leagues in 2022 would rank among the worst in the majors, with all of his home runs coming pull side. Ruiz is a plus-plus runner who likes to bunt and steal. He swiped a minor league-best 85 bases in 99 attempts (86%) and should be a prolific basestealer in the majors. Ruiz mostly played second base until 2019 when he moved to the outfield, and after a learning curve the first few years, he has developed into at least an average center field defender with a below-average arm.
  
  The Future: If Ruiz can show enough power to translate against MLB pitchers, he could become an everyday player. If not, he could end up a righthanded-hitting reserve with speed and defense.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 40
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Ruiz generated buzz by winning MVP honors in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2017. He spent that campaign with the Royals until they traded him to the Padres that summer. Ruiz's performance slowed until 2022, when he hit well in the upper minors and made his MLB debut with the Padres. San Diego traded him to the Brewers at the trade deadline as part of the return for Josh Hader, and then Milwaukee traded him to the Athletics in the December three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy to the Braves and William Contreras to the Brewers.
  
  Scouting Report: Ruiz posted huge numbers in several categories in 2022. He has a wiry build, loads with a simple toe tap and--despite a long swing--has good contact skills. Ruiz showed more patience in 2022 with 66 walks in 114 minor league games after drawing 54 in 182 games combined the previous two seasons. Despite an impressive slash line, Ruiz faces skepticism on how his bat will translate to the major leagues. His swing has leverage and generates loft, but his average exit velocity of 85 mph in the minor leagues in 2022 would rank among the worst in the majors, with all of his home runs coming pull side. Ruiz is a plus-plus runner who likes to bunt and steal. He swiped a minor league-best 85 bases in 99 attempts (86%) and should be a prolific basestealer in the majors. Ruiz mostly played second base until 2019 when he moved to the outfield, and after a learning curve the first few years, he has developed into at least an average center field defender with a below-average arm.
  
  The Future: If Ruiz can show enough power to translate against MLB pitchers, he could become an everyday player. If not, he could end up a righthanded-hitting reserve with speed and defense.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 40
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  August Update: The Brewers acquired Ruiz this year on Aug. 1 in the deal that sent reliever Josh Hader to the Padres.
  
  Track Record: Ruiz signed with the Royals for $100,000 and broke out when he won the 2017 Arizona League MVP award. The Padres acquired him in the middle of that season in the trade that sent Trevor Cahill and Brandon Maurer to Kansas City. Ruiz struggled with strikeouts and moved from second base to the outfield over three difficult seasons following the trade, but he re-emerged as a prospect at Double-A San Antonio in 2022.
  
  Scouting Report: Ruiz is a sleek, athletic player with plenty of tools. He has surprising plus raw power for his frame and possesses elite instincts that make him a prolific basestealer despite average speed. Ruiz&#39s power-speed combination is enticing, but he long struggled to make contact with a long, uphill swing and poor strike-zone discipline. He overhauled his approach in 2022 and improved his pitch selection, cut down his chases and increased the number of pitches he was seeing, resulting in a rebound campaign. Ruiz is still learning to play center field after his hard hands made him unplayable in the infield. His reads and jumps are only fair but could improve with more experience. His arm is below-average.
  
  The Future: Ruiz&#39s improved approach has made him an unexpected callup option. If his improvements hold, he may hit enough to play every day.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 60. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Ruiz signed with the Royals for $100,000 and made a loud impression when he won MVP of the Rookie-level Arizona League in his stateside debut in 2017. The Padres acquired him that season as part of a six-player deal that sent Trevor Cahill, Ryan Buchter and Brandon Maurer to Kansas City. Ruiz has continued to flash promising tools as he's climbed to higher levels, but they’ve been overshadowed by strikeouts and poor defense. He hit .239/.300/.357 at high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019 and failed to stand out in instructional league in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ruiz is a long, lean athlete with plus raw power and a quick first step that allows him to rack up stolen bases. That power-speed combination is tantalizing, but Ruiz has a lot of work to do. He frequently swings and misses through fastballs in the strike zone and is prone to chasing secondary pitches out of the zone. Defensively, he struggles to field routine ground balls at second base due to his hard hands, and his average arm plays down with a slow release. The Padres shifted him to the left field at the end of the 2019 season.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ruiz has to overhaul his swing and learn the outfield to have a major league future. He’ll try to do that in 2021.