Aug. 30: The Nationals have formally recalled Ruiz from Triple-A Rochester and optioned Barrera in a corresponding move.
Aug. 29: The Nationals are calling up catching prospect Keibert Ruiz to make his team debut tomorrow, per a team announcement. The 23-year-old is widely-considered one of the team’s best prospects, if not the best. MLB Pipeline and Baseball America have him as the club’s number one, while FanGraphs has him second, behind only Josiah Gray, both of whom just joined the organization as part of the trade that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers.
Ruiz has long been viewed as an impact prospect, having been on Baseball America’s Top 100 list for each of the past four years. However, as he reached the upper levels of the minor leagues, it was difficult for him to get playing time in Los Angeles because the Dodgers already had an excellent catcher in Will Smith. Ruiz played just eight games for the Dodgers between last season and this one, logging only 15 plate appearances. As such, it made sense for the club to use him as a trade chip and bolster other areas of the team. With the Nationals having traded away Yan Gomes, they should be able to give Ruiz the run of playing time he never got in Los Angeles.
In Triple-A this year, Ruiz has put up tremendous numbers to back up that prospect status. In 72 games between the two organizations, he has a line .310/.377/.616, producing a wRC+ of 141. If he can produce anything close to that at the big league level, that would make him one of the best offensive catchers in the game.
Since trading Gomes, the Nats have been splitting the catching duties between Riley Adams and Tres Barrera, both of whom have been playing well. In 18 games since coming to Washington from Toronto in the Brad Hand trade, Adams has put up a line of .349/.451/.581, wRC+ of 177. For Barrera, he has a line of .270/.369/.393, wRC+ of 106 in 29 games this year. Both players have options and could potentially be sent down as the corresponding move for Ruiz, but rosters are expanding from 26 to 28 on September 1st, which could allow the club to carry all three. Since the Nats are out of contention, they can use the final month of the season to evaluate their catching options and determine how to proceed for the future.
That trade is going to turn out to be great for both teams. Gray looks great and Ruiz has nothing left to prove in AAA
Still a ton of time for this trade to not pan out for the nats. Prospects are no for sure thing. Did they bring in elite prospect talent? Yes but talent only takes you so far in the bigs have to prove you can adjust.
Bitter much?
Worried much?
No bitterness or worries here simply stating facts you can be a top 100 prospect for as long as can be doesn’t matter til you prove it in the bigs and show you can adjust. Main reason for my comment is for how many ppl already deeming this a good fair trade when we can’t possibly know that for several more years.
You can assess a trade now, and then re assess in 5 years
Right now, it’s a very fair trade for both sides. Nationals got multiple impact talents, as did the dodgers
bravesiowafan
Prospects are no for sure thing.
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So you’re making the startling claim that no one can predict the future?
My point was only put so much stock into a prospect. Nothing to do with me simply pointing out they can be top 100 prospects for 5 years and still flop. Way to soon to calling this a fair trade for both sides, I don’t see how that’s an unfair statement.
There are two ways to evaluate trades: when they occur and a number of years later. Regardless of whether the Dodger win the WS or Gray and Ruiz pan out in the long-term….the trade is well-balanced in the here and now.
Essentially, 2-months of AS Scherzer + 1 season and 2 months of AS Turner = the unrealized but high potential of Gray, Ruiz and 2 others who come with 4 to 5 years of control. Both teams got a valuable set of plalyers that matched what they need.
Five years from now, it could look lop-sided in favor of either team or still look balanced. There is no basis to speculate on that because nothing that determines it has yet occurred.
It is unfair for a couple of reasons.
1-If we are to wait until careers are over before debating a trade, sites like this would not exist.
2-But more importantly, there is some math at play here. If I were to call your all-in with my pocket aces against your pocket kings, it is a good move whether or not you flop a set of kings.
It is the same with trades. If the RS were to trade Duran for Wander Franco, it would certainly be a good trade. It doesn’t matter whether or not we can predict 5 years down the road. Franco’s value is higher at the point the trade was made.
And just from a general perspective, I see little chance that almost 13 years of Gray & Ruiz isn’t worth more than 2 months of Scherzer and 1.2 years of Turner.
Trea Turner…that is most of the value.
The Nats traded 8 players of whom Turner was the only one whose contract didn’t expire this year.–so arguably Turner is all the value. They got back 12 players with multiple years of control of whom Ruiz and Gray are the top prospects. For a team (the Nats) going nowhere this year and with a depleted farm system and few prospects ready for the majors, this is a fabulous return. :
Many Nats fans say: In Rizzo we trust. He isn’t perfect but he is damn good.
IMO, there is a huge difference in what the Nats & Cubs have done, and what a lot of other teams have done. Neither the Nats nor the NYMs are making the playoffs, but the Nats added 2022-2027 while the NYMs subtracted. Same with, say the Cubs and Rox. Both will miss the playoffs, but only one of the two will be better off for it.
Welcome to the show!
As long as he struggles against Atlanta, welcome to the show!
From what I have seen he has issues with the high heater much like most young prospects. Here is to him figuring that out
Just not against the Braves!
Gray needs to nibble away from the zone a little bit more. Will get his Ks but also giving up way too many HRs.
Interesting to see how Ruiz does. He has absolutely raked at AAA this season.
As a Dodgers fan, I’d like nothing more than to see both Ruiz and Gray have great careers. Personally, I think Ruiz will have the better career and could see him become an AS within a couple years.
A rare trade that works out for both – Dodgers will get a title with Max and Trea this year, and the Nats get one of my personal fave catching prospects in years – Keibert is a MASHER and incredible game-caller and on top of that, Josiah Gray is a legit top 3 SP rotation piece. The Nats are going to be back in it really quick, especially if they go hard in FA.
Happy to see Keibert get called up. Kid can smash Em.
In a perfect world, we’d still be in contention and Max could retire as a Nat and Trea would sign a longterm contract. This being reality, the trade looks like it is going very well for both teams.
The best of luck to Keibert. Like many who have posted already, I believe KR has the highest ceiling of the two great prospects sent to the Nats.
As a dodger fan, I certainly understand the thinking behind this trade. LAD are built to win now and given the calamities that have hit the pitching staff and the uncertainty surrounding CS, Friedman had no other good options. Max is a lynchpin to our October success. This trade was mostly about doing what was needed to ensure our WS chances were protected in 2021. Of course, what that means is that if LAD fail to win a WS in 2021, this deal massively swings to being a lopsided Nat steal. Good for Rizzo and Nat fans, they took advantage of a great opportunity. Keibert and Josiah are going to be premium assets in Washington for the next 5-7 years!
If only Vazquez weren’t a pedo…
Wish you well Ruiz. He’s unlocked the power that was questionable early in his career and now, phew he looks like Grandal with the bat. Nats got some really high end talent, will be interesting to see how long it takes to see them in October