When 22-year-old Dodgers catching prospect Keibert Ruiz failed to show up when pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training on February 17 for what was described as “visa issues,” Southern California Dodger fans who had seen the young Valencia, Venezuela native during his time with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes immediately said ‘Uh oh.’

They had seen this young catching prospect absolutely rake at LoanMart Field with a slash line of .315 / .344 / .497 / .840 with six home runs and 37 RBI in the 36 games he played with the Quakes. They also know that if given the opportunity on the big stage – regardless of his young age – he would be a legitimate candidate to become the back-up catcher for fellow former Quake and current Dodger Will Smith.

Days became weeks and weeks turned into a month before Ruiz finally showed up at Camelback Ranch … and show up he did.

As every Dodger fan recalls (or at least should recall), Ruiz appeared in two major league games with the Dodgers late in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. In his very first major league at-bat on August 16, 2020, the switch-hitting Ruiz, batting left-handed, hit a solo home run off of Angels All-Star right-hander Julio Teheran. The following night, again batting left-handed, he singled off of Mariners right-hander Taijuan Walker.

In his first Spring Training game on March 12, Ruiz roped a line drive down the right-field line off of Cleveland Indians right-hander DJ Johnson for a two-run double, prompting teammates to kid him by saying: “See? Baseball is easy.”

Less than a week later, Ruiz was optioned to the minor leagues.

On Sunday afternoon, Ruiz, who had remained at Camelback Ranch with the team, was in the starting lineup to catch his former Quakes teammate, right-hander Tony Gonsolin. He went 2-for-2, both singles, driving in one run and two runs respectively; the first batting right-handed off of 37-year-old Giants left-hander (and former Dodger) Scott Kazmir, and the second batting left-handed off of Giants right-hander Silvino Bracho.

“Really impressive. Keibert really came into camp ready to go, albeit delayed … out of his control,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Ruiz following Sunday’s game. “But the way, his mindset, his outlook on things, the body, the at-bat quality, with the pitchers, I’m just really really pleased with where Keibert’s at right now. And taking that next step forward from being just a prospect to being a big league ballplayer.”

That’s the good news.

The not-so-good news is that barring the unforeseen, Ruiz will begin the 2021 season (presumably) at the Dodgers alternate training site (also at Camelback Ranch) and not on the Dodgers 26-man Opening Day roster; this despite his 1.000 batting average and five RBI.

“Unless something unforeseen happens, I think that, right now, he’ll not start with us, big league camp with us,” Roberts said. “And also, he’s had a very short camp. But as far as the depth, he’s a big part of this catching corps and for this organization.”

That “something unforeseen” thing would, of course, be an injury to Smith or to Austin Barnes, who are hitting .345 and .391 respectively thus far this Spring, with Opening Day less than two weeks away.

That being said, it goes beyond all reason and common sense to believe that 22-year-old prospect-turned-big-league-ballplayer Keibert Ruiz would not be the first one called up in the event of “something unforeseen”

Play Ball!

  *  *  *  *  *  *