The Oakland Athletics may not have gotten Edwin Encarnacion, but they did sign a free agent yesterday, landing prized Cuban prospect Norge Ruiz.
The Oakland Athletics have been relatively quiet this offseason, with Matt Joyce being their only signing in free agency. Although they were linked to Edwin Encarnacion, he spurned the A’s offer to sign with the Cleveland Indians. However, that does not mean that Oakland did not land a free agent yesterday.
While it may not carry the same buzz that signing Encarnacion would have, Oakland has inked Cuban prospect Norge Ruiz to a $2 Million contract. One of the top international players, Ruiz was rated as the third best prospect by MLB.com this offseason. This signing also gives the A’s four of those top thirty players.
Sources: A's deal with Cuban RHP Norge Ruiz, #3 on @MLB Top 30 Int'l Prospects List, is for $2 million. https://t.co/KAe6dnsQGq @MLBPipeline
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) December 23, 2016
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Considered close to Major League ready, the 22 year old righty is an intriguing prospect. Using different arm angles, Ruiz employs a mid 90’s fastball, along with a slider, cutter, splitter, and change. Not only does he mix those pitches effectively, but with the varied arm angles, there is no telling what pitch is coming, and from what angle.
During his three seasons in Cuban National Series, Ruiz performed quite well. He had a 24-17 record, with a 2.55 ERA and a 1.224 WHiP. In his 374.1 innings, Ruiz struck out 249 batters while issuing 130 walks. He has also proven to be quite adept at generating ground balls, in part due to the heaviness of his fastball, but also due to the different arm angles that he employs on the mound.
Given that Ruiz has not pitched in two years, it is likely that he starts his career in the minors for the A’s. However, he is expected to rise through the organization quickly, and could even find himself in Oakland towards the end of the season. However, given his slight build, at 6′ tall and 185 lbs, there are questions as to whether or not he can remain a starter. Ninetheless, his stuff, and the different angles he throws from, making him a very interesting fit.
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Norge Ruiz is an intriguing pitcher, and was considered one of the top international prizes this offseason. If he can get back into the pitching groove quickly, the Oakland Athletics may have another promising young starter in their rotation by the end of the year.