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.