Chance Ruffin

Chance Kraig Ruffin

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 185 lb.
• School University of Texas
• High School Lake Travis High School
• Debut July 25, 2011
• Final Game September 28, 2013
• Born September 8, 1988 in Philadelphia, PA USA

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Biographical Information

Chance Ruffin was a supplemental first-round pick in 2010. He is the son of Bruce Ruffin.

Chance was 10-4 with a 1.26 ERA as a high school junior and 11-2 with a 1.17 ERA as a senior, also hitting .370. As a college freshman at his father's alma mater, the University of Texas, he was 8-3 with 3 saves, a 1.96 ERA, 82 K in 78 innings and a .191 opponent average. He was 11th in NCAA Division I in fewest hits per 9 innings (6.23) and 11th in ERA. He led the Big 12 Conference in ERA. He was named the conference Freshman of the Year and was a consensus freshman All-American. Baseball America picked him as a third-team All-American.

His sophomore season for the Longhorns, the right-hander was 10-2 with two saves, a 3.32 ERA, .230 opponent average and 115 whiffs in 124 2/3 innings. He led the Big 12 in innings, was third in strikeouts, 4th in wins, 4th in lowest walk rate (1.80 per 9 innings) and 5th in ERA. He was 4th in NCAA Division I in innings.

As a junior, Ruffin was lights-out as a closer, going 6-1 with 14 saves and a 0.73 ERA through June 7 with 96 K in 61 2/3 innings and a .176 opponent average. He was leading the country in ERA and K per 9 innings when he was named first-team All-Conference on June 3. Collegiate Baseball named him as an All-American. He was then picked with the 48th choice of the 2010 amateur draft by the Detroit Tigers. It was their second selection, following Nick Castellanos and was compensation for their loss of Fernando Rodney. He was signed by scout Tim Grieve and made his pro debut the next summer.

Ruffin raced through the minor leagues after making his professional debut early in the 2011 season. He went 3-3 with a 2.12 ERA and 10 saves in 31 games at AA Erie, then picked up 7 saves in 8 appearances for AAA Toledo to earn his ticket to Detroit. He made his major league debut on July 25th, giving up two runs in 1.2 innings against the Chicago White Sox. On August 17th, the Tigers sent Ruffin to the Seattle Mariners to complete an earlier deal made on July 30th when the Tigers sent a player to be named later, Francisco Martinez, Charlie Furbush and Casper Wells to the Mariners for Doug Fister and David Pauley.

Primary Source: Texas bio

Related Sites

• Chance Ruffin on mlb.com
• University of Texas bio