WEDNESDAY: Churchill says he doesn't know "for [a] fact" that Ruffin is the player to be named (Twitter link).
TUESDAY: The Mariners will receive right-hander Chance Ruffin from the Tigers as the final piece of the Doug Fister trade, reports Jason A. Churchill of Prospect Insider (Twitter link). Since Ruffin was selected in the 2010 draft, he cannot officially be part of any trade until August 15 and thus will be considered just as a player to be named later until that date. This finalizes Seattle's package for Fister and David Pauley as Ruffin, Charlie Furbush, Casper Wells and Francisco Martinez.
Ruffin, a University of Texas product who turns 23 in September, was a supplemental first round pick (48th overall) in the 2010 amateur draft. The Tigers drafted him with the pick they received as compensation for the Angels' signing of Fernando Rodney as a free agent.
In 40 career minor league relief appearances (31 at Double-A, nine at Triple-A), Ruffin has a 2.00 ERA and an impressive 11.4 K/9 rate. He made his Major League debut on July 25 and has thus far allowed two earned runs and recorded three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings of work with Detroit. Churchill describes Ruffin as being a late-inning reliever, but he is "not sure [Ruffin] has true closer stuff."
