Esteury Ruiz Bio
Esteury Ruiz Reyes, born on February 15, 1999, is a Dominican professional baseball center fielder who most recently played for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022 with the San Diego Padres and has also suited up for the Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics. In 2023, he set the American League record for stolen bases in a rookie season with 67, establishing himself as one of the game’s most electrifying young speed threats. Known for his aggressive baserunning and developing bat, Ruiz has become a recognizable name in MLB clubhouses across both leagues.
Early Life and Background
Esteury Ruiz Reyes was born on February 15, 1999, in the Dominican Republic, a country that has produced a long line of Major League Baseball talent. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Ruiz was surrounded by a baseball culture that emphasizes skill, passion, and competition from a young age. The Dominican Republic is widely known for its year-round baseball activity, with young players often participating in pickup games and organized leagues before they reach their teens.
From an early age, Ruiz focused on speed and athleticism, traits that would later define his professional career. His family background and the supportive environment around Dominican baseball helped nurture his ambition to play professionally. Although specific details about his immediate family and early schooling are not widely documented, his path mirrors that of many Dominican players who use the sport as a vehicle to a better life.
Path to Professional Baseball
Ruiz signed with the Kansas City Royals as an international free agent on July 3, 2015, at the age of 16. He made his professional debut in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Royals, beginning a long developmental journey through the minor leagues. In 2017, he started the year with the rookie-level Arizona League Royals, where he began to showcase the speed that would later become his signature trait.
On July 24, 2017, the Royals traded Ruiz, along with Matt Strahm and Travis Wood, to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Trevor Cahill, Ryan Buchter, and Brandon Maurer. The trade moved Ruiz into a new organization and gave him a fresh opportunity to develop. He began his Padres career with the rookie-level Arizona League Padres, transitioned to Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps in 2018, and then moved up to High-A Lake Elsinore Storm in 2019. Ruiz did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he returned in 2021 with the Double-A San Antonio Missions to continue his ascent.
Esteury Ruiz Career
Early Career (2016–2021)
Ruiz spent the first several years of his professional career in the minor leagues, working through various levels of the Padres system. After being acquired in the 2017 trade, he split time between the Arizona League Padres and the Fort Wayne TinCaps in 2018, gaining valuable experience against increasingly older competition. By 2019, he had reached High-A Lake Elsinore, where he continued to refine his game as a young outfielder.
The 2020 cancellation of the minor league season interrupted his development, but Ruiz returned in 2021 with the San Antonio Missions at the Double-A level. In 2022, he returned to San Antonio to start the year and produced 84 games with a .249 batting average and 36 stolen bases, demonstrating that he was close to being MLB-ready. His combination of on-base skills and baserunning speed made him an attractive call-up option for the Padres.
San Diego Padres Debut (2022)
On July 12, 2022, the San Diego Padres selected Ruiz to the major league roster, marking the fulfillment of years of hard work in the minors. He made his MLB debut that same day as the starting center fielder against the Colorado Rockies. In his first major league at-bat, Ruiz singled against Austin Gomber and finished the game with two hits in four at-bats, including an RBI. Across 14 games with the Padres, he hit .171, providing a brief but memorable introduction to the big leagues.
Milwaukee Brewers and Trade Deadline (2022)
On August 1, 2022, the Padres traded Ruiz, Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet, and prospect Robert Gasser to the Milwaukee Brewers in a deadline deal that sent closer Josh Hader to San Diego. The trade gave Ruiz a new organization and a chance to compete for an MLB role. In the minor leagues that year, he batted .332 with a .447 on-base percentage and .526 slugging percentage across 437 at-bats, while also leading the minor leagues with 85 stolen bases. He was also third in the minors in times hit by pitch with 27, reflecting his aggressive plate approach.
Oakland Athletics Era (2023–2024)
On December 12, 2022, the Oakland Athletics acquired Ruiz from the Brewers in a three-team trade that also involved the Atlanta Braves. On March 25, 2023, manager Mark Kotsay announced that Ruiz had made the Opening Day roster, signaling that the Athletics viewed him as a key part of their future. In a July 5, 2023 game against the Detroit Tigers, he stole his 43rd base of the season, setting the Athletics’ rookie record for stolen bases in a single season and surpassing Mitchell Page’s 1977 mark of 42.
On July 7, 2023, the A’s placed Ruiz on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder injury, even though he had been the MLB stolen base leader at the time. In 132 games for Oakland in 2023, he hit .254/.309/.345 with five home runs, 47 RBI, and 67 stolen bases. His 67 stolen bases set a new American League rookie record, surpassing Kenny Lofton’s 66 steals from 1992. In 2024, Ruiz was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators on April 1 and recalled on April 15 after J. D. Davis went on the injured list. In 29 games for Oakland that year, he slashed .200/.270/.382 with two home runs, eight RBI, and five stolen bases before a strained left wrist ended his season in May, leading to a transfer to the 60-day injured list in September.
Los Angeles Dodgers Era (2025)
On April 2, 2025, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Ruiz from the Athletics in exchange for minor league pitcher Carlos Duran, giving him a fresh start with one of MLB’s most prominent organizations. Ruiz played 66 games for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets before being recalled by the Dodgers on July 3, 2025, after Max Muncy was placed on the injured list. With the Dodgers, he appeared in 19 games and recorded four hits in 21 at-bats, including one home run, before being optioned back to the minors on August 8.
He finished the 2025 season with Oklahoma City, where he played 104 total games and posted a .303 batting average with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, and 62 stolen bases. His minor league production in 2025 reaffirmed his elite speed and growing power profile, even though his big league opportunities with the Dodgers were limited.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ruiz’s game is built around elite speed, making him a constant threat on the basepaths and a disruptive force in the opposing pitcher’s rhythm. He is a high-contact hitter with an aggressive approach, which allows him to reach base frequently and capitalize on his wheels. In the outfield, he has shown the range and arm strength needed to handle center field at the major league level.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining moment of Ruiz’s career came in 2023 when he broke Kenny Lofton’s American League rookie stolen base record with 67 steals. He also set the Oakland Athletics’ rookie stolen base record that same season, surpassing Mitchell Page’s mark that had stood since 1977. These accomplishments cemented his reputation as one of the top baserunning talents of his generation.
Esteury Ruiz Career Wins
While Esteury Ruiz Reyes is primarily known for his speed rather than pitching victories, his value to a team is measured in stolen bases, on-base contributions, and overall offensive production. Across the major and minor leagues, he has consistently ranked among the most prolific base stealers, leading the minor leagues with 85 stolen bases in 2022 and setting rookie records in 2023.
MLB and Minor League Highlights
In 2023, Ruiz led MLB in stolen bases during his time healthy and finished with 67 steals, the most ever by an American League rookie. His 2022 minor league campaign with the Brewers organization saw him bat .332 with a .447 on-base percentage while stealing 85 bases. In 2025, he stole 62 bases across 104 Triple-A games with the Oklahoma City Comets, continuing to demonstrate his elite baserunning instincts.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his headline stolen base achievements, Ruiz has posted solid batting averages and on-base percentages throughout his minor league career. His 2025 Triple-A season with the Oklahoma City Comets, where he hit .303 with 16 home runs, showed significant growth in his power production. These well-rounded offensive performances suggest he remains a player to watch as he continues to develop.
Esteury Ruiz Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Specific details about Esteury Ruiz Reyes’s parents and immediate family have not been widely published, but he comes from the Dominican Republic, a country with a deep baseball tradition that has produced generations of MLB players. His journey from signing as an international free agent in 2015 to setting league records in 2023 reflects the strong baseball culture that shaped his early development.
Personal Life
Public information about Esteury Ruiz Reyes’s spouse, children, and personal relationships is not widely documented. He is primarily known for his accomplishments on the baseball field, where his speed and energy have made him a fan favorite in every organization he has joined.
2025 Season Performance
Esteury Ruiz Reyes began the 2025 season with the Oakland Athletics, but was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators and was designated for assignment on March 30 after only two games, signaling the end of his time in Oakland. On April 2, 2025, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired him in exchange for minor league pitcher Carlos Duran, giving him a new opportunity in a winning organization. He spent most of the year with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, where he was a dynamic offensive force, hitting .303 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, and 62 stolen bases across 104 games.
Ruiz received a brief MLB recall on July 3, 2025, after Max Muncy landed on the injured list, and appeared in 19 games for the Dodgers, recording four hits in 21 at-bats with one home run before being optioned back to the minors on August 8. Despite the limited big league playing time, his minor league production kept him firmly in the conversation as a depth outfielder with elite speed. Looking ahead, Ruiz is expected to compete for a more consistent role in the Dodgers’ outfield picture, where his baserunning and improving bat could provide valuable spark off the bench or as a starter.