R.J. Alaniz

Ruben Alaniz

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 175 lb.
• High School Juarez-Lincoln High School
• Debut April 12, 2019

• Born June 14, 1991 in McAllen, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher R.J. Alaniz began his professional career in the Houston Astros minor league system in 2010. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of high school for $160,000. He had participated in a tryout camp for Astros scout Rusty Pendergrass and impressed with a fastball that hit 95 mph. He was 6-4 with a 4.21 ERA and only 10 walks in 57 2/3 innings for the 2010 Greeneville Astros. He tied for fourth in the Appalachian League in wins (behind Tim Boyce, Spencer Arroyo and Ryan Copeland). Pitching for the Lexington Legends in 2011, he went 7-10 with a 4.44 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 27 games (21 starts, 115 2/3 innings). He tied for 4th in the South Atlantic League in losses and tied Jake Buchanan for 8th in the Astros chain in that department. Baseball America rated him having the best curveball in the Astros system as well as being their 15th best overall prospect.

Ruben was 6-2 with a 5.04 ERA for the 2012 Lancaster JetHawks. In 2013, he had a 9-9, 4.53 record for the Corpus Christi Hooks and pitched 7 shutout innings in the Texas League semifinals. He tied Murphy Smith and Neil Ramirez for 5th in the TL in wins and also tied for 9th in losses. He opened 2014 back with the Hooks, where he served a 50 game suspension after testing positive for a drug of abuse. Following the 2015 season, he became a free agent and caught on with the Detroit Tigers system, splitting the next two seasons between Double A Erie and Triple A Toledo. He spent 2018 in several levels of the Tampa Bay Rays system, then caught on with the Seattle Mariners, for whom he made his major league debut in April 2019. After four tough outings, posting a 20.25 ERA, he was claimed on waivers by the Cincinnati Reds at the end of May. In the senior circuit, he pitched to a 5.40 ERA in 8 games (11 2/3 innings). The Reds outrighted him to Triple A Louisville in December.

Sources

• Houston Chronicle
• 2014 Astros Media Guide

Related Sites

• R.J. Alaniz on mlb.com
• BR Minors page