Former massive league first baseman/outfielder Darin Ruf has joined the College of Nebraska Omaha baseball program as an assistant coach, the college introduced Wednesday. There’s been no formal announcement of retirement for the 38-year-old Ruf, however this actually appears to point he’s turning the web page on his enjoying days and transferring onto the following section of his baseball journey.
“We’re thrilled to have Darin be part of our baseball household,” Mavericks head coach Evan Porter mentioned in an announcement inside as we speak’s announcement. “Darin’s unimaginable observe document speaks for itself, however his character and work ethic are maybe extra spectacular. I’ve been lucky to know Darin for the previous 20 years, his respect for the sport and for the individuals round him is admirable. I couldn’t be extra excited to work with Darin, he’s an incredible addition to our program.”
A Twentieth-round pick of Omaha’s Creighton College again in 2009, Ruf reached the majors with the Phillies in 2012 and went on to get pleasure from a nine-year profession within the main leagues along with a superb three-year run with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Group (2017-19).
Ruf’s debut marketing campaign with the Phils was temporary however confirmed clear potential for a significant massive league profession. He appeared in 12 video games as a September call-up and popped three homers whereas batting .333/.351/.727 in 37 journeys to the plate. The next season noticed Ruf tally 293 plate appearances whereas hitting .247/.348/.458 with 14 round-trippers. He’d finally spend elements of 5 seasons with the Phillies, from 2012-16, batting a mixed .240/.314/.433 whereas serving as a part-time first baseman and nook outfielder who might present some right-handed thump off the bench.
From there, Ruf’s subsequent cease was abroad. He not solely discovered success with the KBO’s Lions — he took the complete league by storm. Ruf smacked 38 homers in his first Korean season and wound up posting an enormous .313/.404/.564 batting line in 1756 plate appearances as a Lion. He belted 86 homers, 105 doubles and 6 triples throughout his run within the KBO, with general offense about 45% higher than league-average, by measure of wRC+.
Ruf returned stateside for the 2020 season, taking a minor league take care of the Giants that proved to be an impressive deal for San Francisco. He cracked the Giants’ opening day roster within the shortened 2020 marketing campaign, his age-33 season, and in 100 plate appearances turned in a .276/.370./517 slash that made him a simple name to maintain for the Giants to tender him a contract in arbitration within the 2020-21 offseason. Ruf’s 2021 output was even higher than that small-sample 2020 displaying; in 312 plate appearances he hit .271/.385/.519 with 16 homers.
That sudden resurgence within the majors prompted the Giants to ink Ruf to a two-year, $6.25MM contract. His bat took a step again within the first season of the deal, however Ruf was nonetheless hitting at a barely better-than-average degree when the Mets acquired him at that summer time’s commerce deadline. His bat cratered following the transfer to Queens, nevertheless, and New York designated Ruf for project simply earlier than Opening Day 2023. He was launched in early April, signed a minor league deal to return to the Giants, and break up the 2023 season between San Francisco and Milwaukee, seeing temporary enjoying time at each stops.
It now appears seemingly that’ll be the ultimate stage of Ruf’s enjoying profession. If he’s certainly shifting his focus to a training observe, he’ll conclude his time within the majors with a profession .239/.329/.427 batting line, 351 hits, 67 homers, 69 doubles, three triples, six steals, 198 runs scored and 205 runs pushed in. Between MLB and the KBO, he cracked greater than 150 homers and piled up greater than 800 hits — all whereas incomes greater than $9MM within the majors and greater than $4MM in South Korea.
The Omaha native will now assist mould a youthful era of gamers whereas returning to his hometown. Ruf expressed pleasure and gratitude in an announcement of his personal inside as we speak’s announcement:
“I’m thrilled to be becoming a member of Evan’s workers in Omaha. I’ve been blessed with wonderful coaches all through my profession and I’m honored Evan has given me the chance to provide again and work with these pupil athletes. I look ahead to working with them on the sphere to grow to be one of the best ball gamers they are often and off the sphere as they proceed to turn into nice individuals for the group of Omaha.”
