Esteury Ruiz Bio
Esteury Ruiz Reyes, born on February 15, 1999, is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder currently playing in Major League Baseball. Known primarily as a center fielder, Ruiz has built his reputation on a rare combination of contact at the plate and elite speed on the basepaths. After debuting in the majors in 2022, he quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic young baserunners in the sport, setting an American League record for stolen bases in a rookie season. Over the course of his career, he has represented the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ruiz’s path to the majors began as an international signing in the Dominican Republic, and he developed steadily through the minor leagues before reaching the highest level. His combination of plate discipline, hitting ability, and base-stealing instincts has made him a unique talent, even as he has shuttled between organizations. In 2023, his breakout campaign with Oakland cemented his place as a player to watch across the league.
Early Life and Background
Esteury Ruiz Reyes was born on February 15, 1999, in the Dominican Republic, a country long known for producing Major League Baseball talent. Like many Dominican prospects, he grew up surrounded by the game, with baseball serving as both a passion and a realistic professional pathway. From an early age, Ruiz showed the kind of speed and athleticism that would later define his professional career, and he developed the hitting skills needed to make those tools translate on the field.
As a teenager, Ruiz attracted the attention of Major League scouts working internationally, and on July 3, 2015, he signed with the Kansas City Royals as an international free agent. That signing launched his professional career and set the stage for a long climb through the minor league system. The Dominican Republic’s robust baseball infrastructure gave him a strong foundation for the years ahead.
Path to Professional Baseball
Ruiz made his professional debut in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Royals, beginning his career in the lowest rung of the Royals’ developmental system. In 2017, he started the season with the rookie-level Arizona League Royals, continuing to adjust to the demands of professional baseball in the United States. His progress was steady rather than spectacular during this period, as he focused on refining his swing and learning the nuances of the game.
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 him into a new organization and gave him a fresh opportunity to climb the minor league ladder. He began his Padres career with the rookie-level Arizona League Padres before advancing to the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps in 2018 and the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm in 2019. Ruiz did not play in a game 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 and continued his development there into 2022.
Esteury Ruiz Career
Early Career (2016–2021)
Ruiz’s first several professional seasons were spent learning the craft in the lower levels of the minor leagues, where he split time between outfield positions and worked to translate his raw speed into consistent offensive production. In 2021, playing for the San Antonio Missions, he showed encouraging signs of breaking out, displaying the kind of on-base skills and base-stealing ability that had made him a notable prospect. That performance positioned him for a more prominent role in 2022.
He returned to San Antonio to begin the 2022 season, where he played 84 games, batting .249 and stealing 36 bases. Those numbers were enough to convince the Padres that he was ready for an opportunity at the next level, and on July 12, 2022, the Padres selected Ruiz to the major league roster. He made his major league debut that same day, starting in center field against the Colorado Rockies and singling in his first at-bat against Austin Gomber. He finished his brief first stint in the majors with a .171 batting average across 14 games.
Milwaukee Brewers (2022)
On August 1, 2022, the Padres traded Ruiz, Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet, and prospect Robert Gasser to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for star closer Josh Hader. The deal sent Ruiz into a new system, but it also gave him a clearer runway to regular playing time in the Brewers’ organization. In the minor leagues that year, he batted .332/.447/.526 across 437 at-bats, demonstrating the kind of offensive surge that had long been projected of him.
Ruiz also led all of Minor League Baseball in stolen bases that season, swiping 85 bags while being caught just 14 times, and finished third in the minors in times hit by pitch with 27. Those figures highlighted both his game-changing speed and his willingness to compete in the small battles at the plate. Although his time in the Milwaukee organization was brief, it set the stage for an even bigger opportunity the following winter.
Oakland Athletics Breakthrough (2023–2024)
On December 12, 2022, the Oakland Athletics acquired Ruiz from the Brewers in a three-team trade that also sent Sean Murphy to the Atlanta Braves and brought William Contreras, Joel Payamps, Justin Yeager, Manny Piña, Kyle Muller, Freddy Tarnok, and Royber Salinas into the fold. On March 25, 2023, Oakland manager Mark Kotsay announced that Ruiz had made the Opening Day roster, giving him his first extended look as an everyday big leaguer. He quickly rewarded that faith with one of the most prolific basestealing seasons in recent memory.
In a July 5, 2023, game against the Detroit Tigers, Ruiz stole his 43rd base of the season, setting the Athletics’ rookie record for stolen bases in a season and surpassing the previous mark of 42 set by Mitchell Page in 1977. At the time of his injury on July 7, when he was placed on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder issue, he was the MLB stolen base leader. In 132 games for Oakland, Ruiz hit .254/.309/.345 with five home runs, 47 RBI, and 67 stolen bases. His stolen base total set a new American League rookie record, surpassing Kenny Lofton’s 66 steals from 1992.
The 2024 season was more difficult, as Ruiz was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators on April 1, 2024, before being recalled on April 15 after J. D. Davis landed on the injured list. In 29 games for Oakland, he slashed .200/.270/.382 with two home runs, eight RBI, and five stolen bases. A strained left wrist sent him to the injured list on May 23, and he was transferred to the 60-day injured list on September 4, ending his season. He was again optioned to Las Vegas to begin 2025 and was designated for assignment on March 30 after only two games.
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 another fresh start within a championship-caliber organization. He played 66 games for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets before being recalled by the Dodgers on July 3, after Max Muncy was placed on the injured list. With the Dodgers, he appeared in 19 games, recording four hits in 21 at-bats with one home run before being optioned back to the minors on August 8.
Ruiz finished the 2025 season in Oklahoma City, where he played 104 total games and batted .303 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, and 62 stolen bases. His ability to keep producing in the minors while making a brief big league impression suggested he still had the tools to contribute at the highest level. On December 29, 2025, the Dodgers traded Ruiz to the Miami Marlins for minor league pitcher Adriano Marrero, opening yet another chapter in his career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ruiz’s identity as a player is built around his elite baserunning speed, which allows him to pressure defenses, extend innings, and change the geometry of a game in a single pitch. He pairs that speed with a contact-oriented offensive approach, which helps him put the ball in play and create opportunities to use his legs. Defensively, he has spent the majority of his time in center field, where his range and arm have allowed him to remain a credible option at a premium position.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining milestone of Ruiz’s career came in 2023, when he set the American League rookie record for stolen bases with 67, breaking Kenny Lofton’s 1992 mark of 66. He also set the Oakland Athletics’ rookie stolen base record that same season, surpassing Mitchell Page’s total of 42 from 1977. In addition, he led all of Minor League Baseball in stolen bases in 2022 with 85 swipes, underscoring his long track record as a top-tier baserunner.
Esteury Ruiz Career Wins
While Esteury Ruiz Reyes has not yet established a reputation as a power hitter or run-producer in the traditional sense, his career impact has been measured in categories like stolen bases, on-base percentage, and games played. Across his time with the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and Los Angeles Dodgers, he has remained a consistent presence in the lineup when healthy, and his speed has continued to be a defining feature of his game.
Major League Highlights
In the majors, Ruiz’s most productive season came in 2023 with Oakland, when he hit .254/.309/.345 with five home runs, 47 RBI, and a record-setting 67 stolen bases across 132 games. That performance established him as the American League stolen base leader and the owner of both the Oakland and AL rookie records for stolen bases. In his brief 2025 stint with the Dodgers, he made the most of limited opportunities, recording four hits in 21 at-bats with one home run before returning to the minors.
Other Wins and Performances
In the minor leagues, Ruiz led all of professional baseball in stolen bases in 2022 with 85, and he batted .332/.447/.526 across 437 at-bats that year. He also finished third in the minors in times hit by pitch with 27, a testament to his willingness to compete in every at-bat. In 2025, he batted .303 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, and 62 stolen bases in 104 games for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, reinforcing the offensive upside that has marked his career.
Esteury Ruiz Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Esteury Ruiz Reyes was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, a country with a deep and celebrated baseball tradition. He came up through a culture that has produced generations of Major League stars, and his signing with the Kansas City Royals in 2015 reflected the kind of developmental pipeline that has long connected Dominican youth to professional baseball in the United States.
Personal Life
Ruiz has generally kept his personal life out of the public eye, focusing public attention on his work between the lines. He has been based in the United States throughout his professional career, moving between the cities that house his various organizations, and he continues to represent the Dominican Republic as his home country.
2025 Season Performance
Esteury Ruiz Reyes entered 2025 looking to reestablish himself in the major leagues, and he began the year in the minor leagues with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators before being designated for assignment by the Athletics on March 30 after only two games. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired him on April 2, 2025, in a trade for minor league pitcher Carlos Duran, giving him an opportunity in one of the league’s most prominent organizations. He spent the bulk of the season with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, where he produced a strong line of .303 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, and 62 stolen bases across 104 games.
He was recalled by the Dodgers on July 3 after Max Muncy was placed on the injured list, and he appeared in 19 games for Los Angeles, recording four hits in 21 at-bats with one home run before being optioned back to the minors on August 8. Although his major league opportunities were limited, his minor league production showed that he remained a dynamic offensive talent. On December 29, 2025, the Dodgers traded him to the Miami Marlins for minor league pitcher Adriano Marrero, setting the stage for another fresh start as he headed into the next chapter of his career.
