The Washington Nationals’ catcher is currently in the fifth percentile for sprint speed in MLB, averaging 25.0 feet per second this season, according to Baseball Savant. This places the 6-foot, 238-pound Ruiz at 65th among all major league catchers.
Despite this, Ruiz excels in a significant baserunning category. In the Nationals’ 4-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday, Ruiz went 2-for-4, hitting a single and a double and driving in an RBI. After hitting a double in the bottom of the sixth inning, Ruiz stole third base, marking his third stolen base of the season and his second time stealing third base. According to the Nationals’ Communications team, Ruiz is the only catcher in MLB this year to steal third base more than once.
The Nationals lead the league with 209 stolen bases, 12 more than the Cincinnati Reds despite playing two fewer games. They are the first team to surpass 200 stolen bases in a season since the 1996 Colorado Rockies.
Moreover, Washington has had 23 different players steal at least one base this season, a feat not achieved since the 1917 Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ruiz isn’t among the top stolen base leaders on his team, with center fielder Jacob Young leading with 32 steals and shortstop CJ Abrams second with 29. Alongside Abrams, Young, Ruiz, James Wood, Dylan Crews, José Tena, Luis García Jr., and Nasim Nuñez, Washington has a promising group of young talent aged 26 or younger. This strong core provides hope for ending the Nationals’ five-year postseason drought in the near future.
Ruiz, for instance, is secured on an eight-year, $50 million contract through at least 2030. While his statistics this season—.231 batting average, 13 home runs, 51 RBI, .629 OPS, and 0.6 WAR—are down from his standout 2023 performance, he remains an above-average starting catcher. His exceptional base-stealing ability further adds to his value.
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