West Windsor South grad Ruta has homecoming
TRENTON » Ben Ruta recently took a nostalgic moment to walk on the field and see the family playground area at Arm & Hammer Park, where the memories came rushing back.
When the West Windsor native was a kid, he frequently attended games at the ballpark. And he participated in the camps that he will now get to operate as a Thunder player.
“It’s a lot of full circle for me,” Ruta said Tuesday at Trenton’s Media Day. “It’s pretty cool to be back.”
Ruta, who graduated from West Windsor South in 2012, will open his second full season in professional baseball with his hometown Thunder.
Although his parents moved out of the area last year, Ruta will be staying at his best friend’s house in West Windsor for as long as he is in Double-A.
“Just being in the area knowing where you’re going is huge for the adjustment,” he said. “Driving in, I don’t even need a GPS — that kind of thing. All that stuff that you worry about usually when you go somewhere new I don’t have to worry about just because I know the area so well. That’s definitely a little bit off my shoulders.”
The adjustment will instead be when the games start. The outfielder has never played above LowA ball, spending 53 games in 2017 with the Charleston RiverDogs.
But his production there was enough for Ruta to bypass High-A Tampa. He batted .273 with a .323 on-base percentage in 172 at-bats and stole 11 bases before his season was cut short by a right wrist injury in July.
“I look at it as I’m just going to go out there and play confidently, and just let my training ability take over,” Ruta said. “Whether there’s an adjustment period or not, I can’t really tell you because I’ve never been through it. I’m going to go out there and just play my hardest. I’ve faced a lot of the DoubleA, Triple-A guys the past two spring trainings, so I have some experience. I know the season is a little different than spring training, but I definitely have the confidence to compete at this level and I feel like I belong here.”
A 30th round pick of the Yankees in 2016, Ruta is known as a solid contact hitter — he struck out in only 12.8 percent of his at-bats last year — and a speedy, versatile outfielder with a strong, accurate arm.
The Wagner College product said he focused this offseason on improving the quickness of the first four steps with his long legs. He also wanted to tighten his swing with the knowledge he has gained from his time in the farm system with Charleston, Staten Island and Pulaski.
“I play hard, I’m going to try to fly around the field,” Ruta said when describing himself as a player. “I’m pretty quick and I try to make a lot of contact and just do the fundamentals right. I’ll be aggressive on the bases, try to steal bases, take the extra base, score runs for the team.”
He has never played under new Thunder manager Jay Bell, but Ruta said he worked with Bell in the last two spring trainings.
What he appreciates most about the former 18-year big leaguer is how nuanced he is when answering a question. Specifically, this spring the two shared extensive dialogue when Ruta asked at what point in his career Bell finally settled on the same daily routine.
“I feel like I’m still developing, so my routine is changing,” Ruta said. “He said that he didn’t really get his set routine until he played like 12 years. So that was nice to hear — just keep evolving, keep changing your game until you feel comfortable with where you’re at and that’s the best player you can be. So we talked a lot about that and just forming it and sticking to it. He thinks that’s a big key, so I’m going to focus on that this year.”
Ruta is one of three West Windsor South graduates currently in pro ball. Former teammates Paul Balestrieri (Cardinals) and Matt McCann (Angels) were both selected in last June’s draft.
Ruta said he plans on getting in touch soon with longtime Pirates coach Don Hutchinson and other old friends about coming out to a Thunder game.
“I might have to maybe a couple games use someone else’s tickets or borrow ‘em if they don’t have anybody,” Ruta said with a smile.