Darin Ruf

Darin Cortland Ruf

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 220 lb.
• School Creighton University
• High School Westside High School (Omaha)
• Debut September 14, 2012
• Final Game June 2, 2023
• Born July 28, 1986 in Omaha, NE USA

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Biographical Information

First baseman Darin Ruf reached the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012

Ruf attended Creighton University, where he was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2007. He was then selected by the Phillies in the 20th round of the 2009 amateur draft and signed by scout David Seifert. He began his pro career that summer with the GCL Phillies, hitting .326 in 20 games before being promoted to the Williamsport Crosscutters. In 37 games at that level, he .301 with 3 home runs. He began 2010 with the Lakewood Blue Claws and hit .330 in 32 games with them. About a month into the season, he was promoted to the Clearwater Threshers, for whom he hit .277 with 5 homers in 97 games.

Back with Clearwater in 2011, Ruf hit .308 with 17 home runs, and 82 RBI while leading the Florida State League with 43 doubles. With the AA Reading Phillies to start 2012, he hit .317, led the Eastern League with 38 homers and 104 RBI, and was named circuit MVP. This earned him a September call-up to Philadelphia, and he made his big league debut on September 14th against the Houston Astros. Entering the game in the 9th inning as a pinch hitter for pitcher Justin De Fratus, he hit a pop fly to end the inning. He hit .333 in 12 games during his first taste of the majors.

Ruf received a more extended look in Philadelphia in 2013, when he hit .247 in 73 games, with 14 homers and 30 RBIs. He also hit .266 with 7 homers and 46 RBIs for the AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He regressed in 2014, however, as he was injured for a good part of the season and hit .235 in 52 games with 3 homers and 8 RBIs. He was limited to 32 minor league games, spread among three teams. In 2015 though, he spent almost the whole season at the major league level, except for 7 games in AAA, but again hit ,just .235, although with decent power: 12 homers and 35 RBIs. He was back in AAA for most of 2016 and had a solid year for Lehigh Valley, with a .294 average, 20 homers and 65 RBIs in 95 games. But in Philadelphia, he still could not find his hitting stroke, as his average fell to .205 in 43 games, with 3 homers and 9 RBIs.

The Phillies wrote him off at that point, and on November 11, 2016, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers alongside IF Darnell Sweeney in return for veteran IF/OF Howie Kendrick. However, he never played for the Dodgers, instead joining the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization in 2017. It was a good move on his part as he had an excellent season: in 134 games, he hit .315 with 38 doubles, 31 homers, 90 runs and 124 RBIs. He continued to play in South Korea in 2018 and 2019.

In 2020 Ruf played 40 games for the San Francisco Giants in the Covid-19-shortened season when he hit .276. Ruf stayed with the Giants in 2021, playing in 117 games and hitting .271 while driving in 41 RBI. In March 2022, Ruf signed a two-year $6.25 million contract with the Giants. He stayed in San Francisco until being dealt to the New York Mets on August 2nd in return for J.D. Davis, Carson Seymour, Nick Zwack and Thomas Szapucki. Ruf struggled for the Mets: in 28 games he hit .152 with 7 RBI. Ruf stated the trade was a hard time for him as he was still mourning his father who passed away that May.

Ruf was designated for assignment on March 27, 2023 to make room for Tommy Hunter. On April 8th he signed a minor league deal with the Giants. His contract was selected by the big club where Ruf went 6 for 23 before being placed on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. After being activated from the IL, he was designated for assignment again, to make room for Casey Schmitt. He refused to be outrighted to the AAA Sacramento River Cats and became a free agent. On May 15th, Ruf signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers before suffering a knee laceration after colliding with the field tarp going after a foul ball on June 2nd against the Cincinnati Reds. This ended his season and ultimately his playing career as this was his last career game.

On September 4, 2024, Ruf was named an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

Notable Achievements

• 2012 Player of the Year Eastern League Reading Phillies

Related Sites

• Darin Ruf on mlb.com
• Creighton U bio