Then, when it was his flip, Ruiz was out of the blue the main focus. The opposite catchers halted their conversations to observe his method. Moments later, he cheered on Israel Pineda when he made a powerful cease, and gave Pineda some recommendation.
“He’s acquired much more confidence and you may see it,” Supervisor Dave Martinez stated. “He’s strolling round a little bit bit extra like, ‘Hey, I belong right here. That is form of my staff.’ He’s really taking it upon himself to speak to among the younger catchers about among the issues we do, among the issues we’ve realized. It’s been quite a lot of enjoyable to observe him talk like that.”
At instances final season, Ruiz stated it was arduous to steadiness managing a workers and game-calling whereas additionally engaged on hitting. A yr of expertise definitely will assist, although he joked that it’s by no means straightforward. Communication can be vital this season with a young staff and the introduction of pitch clocks. However Ruiz, a natural introverthopes that his elevated management will enable Nationals pitchers to develop the identical degree of assurance that he feels coming into this yr.
Behind the plate, Ruiz has been extra vocal with pitchers to date in camp. He’s additionally anticipated to take an even bigger function in calling video games this yr. On Friday, starter Cade Cavalli yelled, ‘All you, Keib.’ throughout a bullpen session to offer Ruiz the chance to work on pitch sequencing.
“I wasn’t used to doing that within the minor leagues,” Ruiz stated. “A number of duty. However, like I stated, I simply realized from final yr and we hold going, hold doing my greatest and I really feel that final yr gave me quite a lot of confidence for this yr.”
Ruiz, 24, was acquired in the Max Scherzer-Trea Turner trade in 2021 together with pitcher Josiah Grey as Washington pivoted to a rebuild. Now, Ruiz is seeking to turn into a extra full participant in his second full season.
Final yr, Ruiz hit .251 with seven homers, 36 RBI and an 95 OPS+ (league common is 100). He threw out 20 base runners, tied for third within the majors, even after a testicular contusion reduce his season brief. After the season ended, Ruiz went again to Venezuela to spend three months together with his household earlier than returning to the USA for spring coaching. Ruiz was in a position to replicate on his season, his areas of energy and enchancment.
Ruiz, a change hitter, has at all times proven sturdy bat-to-ball expertise; it’s what made him a high prospect within the Los Angeles Dodgers system and a coveted a part of the commerce. however final yr, his pitch selection could have been better; he swung at hittable pitches, however they weren’t at all times the proper pitches to swing at. Now, he’s centered on swinging at pitches in his candy spots.
Pitch choice, coupled with swing changes made this offseason on either side of the plate, has Ruiz believing he’ll present extra of the facility many anticipated a yr in the past. Ruiz thinks utilizing his legs extra will generate energy, however Martinez doesn’t need Ruiz centered too closely on homers. As an alternative, he needs him to drive the ball hole to hole.
Hitting coach Darnell Coles talked about a number of different tweaks to Ruiz’s swing — from the left aspect, Ruiz is making an attempt to rotate much less when he hundreds and stand upright to see the baseball. Ruiz’s concentrate on the proper aspect is sustaining a narrower base to generate extra energy. In each circumstances, the hope is that the mechanical modifications will give his arms a faster path to the baseball.
“In Keibert’s case, when he begins to rotate, he tends to chase under the zone, particularly early in counts — breaking balls, change-ups, that type of factor,” Coles stated. “Otherwise you see quite a lot of groundballs to second base from his left hand aspect … He’s among the finest in baseball, hitting the ball up the center, the opposite means. And as long as he can get a place to see the ball after which react to what he sees, he’ll make quite a lot of good choices.”
As he mirrored on final season, Ruiz stated he was most pleased with with the ability to show he may keep within the huge leagues for a full yr. However he’s anticipating extra from himself this yr.
“I do know I can do higher than that, however simply to remain within the huge leagues for a full yr (is an accomplishment),” Ruiz stated. “However I don’t need to take into consideration final yr. We’re in 2023. We simply gotta get centered on this season.”
