Keibert Ruiz

Ruiz's Statcast page looks more like that of a reserve infielder than a strapping catcher. He has one of the lowest strikeout rates in the league-overall, not just among catchers-but his quality of contact is weak. Before last season, he was a fly ball hitter, so he would occasionally power one over the fence. However, last season his ground ball rate spiked to a career-high 47.4 percent, further limiting his power. Slowly hit ground balls combined with third-percentile sprint speed are not a recipe for success. In late June, Ruiz was struck in the head by a line drive while he was in the dugout. The freak accident cost him the season, as he spent the remainder of the year on concussion protocol. Expected to be cleared for spring training, Ruiz is still set to serve as the Nationals' regular catcher despite poor defensive metrics thanks to the eight-year extension he signed in 2023, but while steady playing time will help his counting stats, his overall offensive output is likely to remain modest unless he rediscovers his fly ball tendencies. Read Past Outlooks