Dodgers: Keibert Ruiz Named LA’s Likeliest Prospect to be Traded
Keibert Ruiz has all the potential in the world and other organizations know it. In every trade discussion, the Dodgers have been involved in over the course of the last two or so seasons, Ruiz’s name has been tossed around — and for good reason.
Ruiz is just 21 years old and is still one of the best catching prospects in baseball. He had an off year in 2019 — including an injury ending his season early — but his upside remains enormous. There is a legitimate chance that Keibert Ruiz develops and delivers on his potential as the future best catcher in the league. Time will tell.
According to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Mike Rosenbaum, and Jonathan Mayo, Keibert Ruiz is the likeliest Dodger prospect to be dealt this off-season and it makes total sense. As with Joc Pederson on the major league roster, Ruiz’s name has been tossed around a multitude of times.
As anticipation builds around the potential for trades during the upcoming #WinterMeetings, @jimcallisMLB, @JonathanMayo and @GoldenSombrero look at 30 prospects who could be dealt — one from each #MLB team: https://t.co/CQBMCYykUq pic.twitter.com/CMdqCLuWRG
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 29, 2019
Here is the excerpt from the MLB.com column about Ruiz:
He’s still one of the best catching prospects in baseball but Will Smith appears to have surpassed him as Los Angeles’ catcher of the future. Los Angeles keeps getting mentioned as a possible destination for Mookie Betts and could part with Ruiz in the right blockbuster.
Ruiz finished the 2019 season with Triple-A Oklahoma City where he posted a .316 batting average and 99 wRC+ across nine games. In a much larger sample size of 76 games with Double-A Tulsa, the young backstop posted a .254 batting average and 88 wRC+. Despite the so-so numbers, Ruiz’s lack of strikeouts — 6.3 percent combined between the two levels — remains an excellent trait.
Ruiz’s 2020 will be enormous for him and either his future with the Dodgers or quite possibly another major league club.
I really don’t think Friedman wants to trade Ruiz. Smith had a good start and then trailed off. Ruiz has always been projected as the better hitter. The Dodgers could actually let them both split games, keep fresh, see which one emerges as the better option.
“projected as the better hitter”?
When was that, high school? He simply cannot, has not hit in the pros.
Smith just keeps getting better & better.
Smith ‘tailed off’ because he’d never caught so many games in a season before. He even mentioned that.
But then the entire team tailed off. Don’t get me stared on incompetent Dave Roberts.
Thanks.
I agree with Willy. A very good hitting catcher that calls a good game and is excellent defensively is incredibly valuable. I would play both and let them compete. Choose one and trade the other for a huge return in a couple of years as the Dodgers have a couple more outstanding young catchers coming up.
Catchers get hurt. If you trade Ruiz and something happens to Smith the Dodgers are left with Barnes, Rocky Gale, or Conner Wong who has yet to play a full season of AA ball. I like Smith, but if Ruiz is the catcher everyone, including opposing teams, apparently think then he becomes the regular catcher in 2021 with Smith moving to third base where his athleticism and arm will make him a top notch defensive player.
Just sign Rendon and Cole/Strasburg and we’ll be more than ready for next seasons WS. Keep Seager for another season and see how he does with injury/hitting. We will need some youth to fall back on and getting rid of the catcher (Ruiz) to do so would be asinine. We don’t need Betts or trade away youth for a one year and gone guy unless he signs a 4-5 year deal.
That would be a mistake we don’t know what Will Smith will be yet. Ruiz should spend most of next year in the minors and get a call up late then serve as Smiths backup in 2021. By 2022 we will know what we have in Smith and then make a call
Ruiz cannot hit, at all. Another Barnes. Trade him if someone of value is offered.
Dodgers are in great shape with Will Smith and re-signing Martin as secondary.
Thanks.
Actually both smith and Ruiz have yet to show that they can hit. RIGHT NOW WE may have 2 more Barnes on our roster. We need a proven catcher until one of these shows they actually belong. By trading one wd may end up midseason without a major league catcher. I’m all for trading prospects, but our cupboard is bare right now.
I agree with all who say we should let both catchers develop and I agree that if both hit well, to move Smith to 3b. I am not big on always chasing high priced external talent. My only concern with internal talent is whether anyone in the farm system Redemocracycan step up and lead off, steal bases. Is that Lux? I don’t know.
If we can package any salary dumps with a trade that would be huge. Wishful thinking, but maybe Jansen, Kelly or Price. Jansen is probably the only one with a streak of value at this point, who knows I doubt it at this point, but it would be nice to shave off some contracts with payroll.
Surprised to see your comments on an article from 2019. Seems to me he’s not going anywhere now.