Darin Ruf

Darin Ruf
Ruf with the Mets in 2023
Free agent
First baseman / Left fielder / Designated hitter
Born: (1986-07-28) July 28, 1986 (age 37)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Professional debut
MLB: September 14, 2012, for the Philadelphia Phillies
KBO: March 31, 2017, for the Samsung Lions
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.239
Home runs67
Runs batted in205
KBO statistics
(through 2019 season)
Batting average.315
Home runs81
Runs batted in321
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • KBO RBI leader (2017)

Darin Cortland Ruf (born July 28, 1986) is an American professional baseball first baseman, left fielder, and designated hitter who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers. He has also played in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions. Ruf was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and played at Westside High School. Subsequently, he attended Creighton University, excelled playing baseball there, and was named the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Player of the Year.

The Philadelphia Phillies drafted him in the 20th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. In the minor leagues, he initially hit for a high batting average, but in 2011 combined that with power numbers to become one of the Phillies' top prospects. In 2012 he led the minor leagues (and the Eastern League) with 38 home runs, and was the Eastern League Most Valuable Player. He made his major league debut in 2012. In 2013, he split time between Triple-A and the major league Phillies. He was embroiled in a roster battle for a bench spot entering 2014, but hurt his oblique, and landed on the disabled list prior to the season. He remained with the Phillies for two more seasons, but by 2016 his time on the major league roster ended. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he did not play in any games before they sold his contract to the Samsung Lions of the KBO League.

Ruf spent three seasons in South Korea, and in 2017 he led the KBO in runs batted in. After two more successful seasons at the plate, he returned stateside and signed with the San Francisco Giants, with whom he earned a major league roster spot. The Giants traded him to the New York Mets during the 2022 season; he played for the Mets for the remainder of that season before being designated for assignment and released prior to the 2023 season.


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