Dodgers Select the Contract of Keibert Ruiz
In the hours leading up to the deadline for teams to get their 40-man rosters set before the Rule 5 Draft, the Dodgers have made a move. The team added young catcher Keibert Ruiz to their 40-man, effectively putting him out of reach of other teams.
The Dodgers selected the contract of Keibert Ruiz earlier today.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) November 21, 2018
Make no mistake, this does not mean that Ruiz will be on the opening day roster or even close to it. The Dodgers added him to their roster to avoid losing him in the draft. Ruiz would have been eligible to be picked up by any team in the draft since he meets all of the age requirements and playing experience.
The young backstop spent all of 2018 at the AA level in Tulsa. He slashed 268/328/401 there and hit 12 homeruns at the young age of 20 years old. Many in the organization envision Ruiz as the catcher of the future in Los Angeles, but he may be a few years off. Most have him ready to take on a full season by 2020, leaving the 2019 season wide open.
Ruiz was one of seven Top 100 Prospects that needed to be added onto a 40-man roster in order to be protected.
