by John Vittas and Jon Lewis

Ht: 6’3″            Wt: 210              Class: Sr.            Hometown (HS): Bel Air, MD (C. Milton Wright HS)

Arsenal: fastball (88-91mph), slider, changeup

2015 Stats

G: 24       S: 5       IP: 49.2       ERA: 5.62       K/9: 9.1       BB/9: 3.6       H/9: 10.5

Pros: throws three pitches for strikes, versatile, reliable, great pitchability

Cons: not overpowering, no plus pitch

Vittas: Ruse had a frustrating regular season after an excellent junior campaign. Despite a noticeable improvement in his stuff, the Maryland right hander has gotten knocked around in some of his outings in 2015. The good news is that his fastball is harder and his slider is sharper, which has allowed him to add to his strikeout totals and nasty factor. But with his current numbers and lack of a plus fastball, there’s a chance the versatile strike-thrower is left unpicked.

MLB Comparison: Dillon Gee

Lewis: It’s the precarious case of an increase in crispness in both FB velo and slider sharpness leading to inflated senior year stats. I personally have been a fan of Ruse’s pitchability since he became a mainstay in the Terps bullpen his sophomore year. Ruse runs his FB up to 92 and his slider is crisp and sharp. His pitchability and makeup are through the roof but his lack of plus stuff and his inflated stats could leave Ruse with the distinct possibility of being undrafted.

20/80 Scale (50 is Big League Average)

Fastball: 40      Slider: 45        Changeup: 45      Command: 60      Total: 40