Pirates Prospect Can Honor Roberto Clemente This Winter

Ruiz will turn 20 years old at the start of the 2027 season and play his first professional games, after not doing so at the end of 2026.

There's a lot to like about Ruiz, who is great defensively at shortstop and was even considered the best fielder at his position.

Ruiz earned grades of "70" for his fielding from Baseball America and "65" from MLB Pipeline, plus arm grades of "60" from MLB Pipeline and "55" from Baseball America.

His defensive prowess moved shortstop Grady Emerson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, over to third base when they played for Team USA, winning the gold medal at the 2025 U-18 Baseball World Cup.

Ruiz is a little undersized, standing 5-foot-10 and 168 pounds, and won't become a massive home run hitter, but could serve as a solid contact hitter for the future.

He is a switch-hitter, and if he continues to grow and develop into his body, Ruiz should add some power and also contact, which he'll need to complement his Gold Glove-caliber fielding.

How Ruiz Can Honor Clemente This Winter

Gigantes De Carolina starts playing on Nov. 4, and their season runs through the end of December, playing 40 games and facing the five other teams in the league.

Ruiz is not required to play for Gigantes De Carolina, but it's a great opportunity for him to get his professional career going and honor the Pirates legend.

He is of Puerto Rican decent, through his grandfather Sandalio, who moved to New York from the island.

Clemente is the greatest Puerto Rican player ever and arguably the best Pirates player ever too.

He was a 15-time All-Star, won 12 Gold Gloves, four-time batting champion, 1966 National League MVP, helped win the 1960 and 1971 World Series, winning MVP honors for the latter, and finished with 3,000 hits, 240 home runs and a .317 batting average.

Clemente is best known for his humanitarian work and for his death on Dec. 31, 1972, after a plane crash that was set to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

Playing for the Pirates and being of Puerto Rican descent is a big connection to Clemente and Ruiz can do that if he decides to play winter ball.

The Queens native already trains with New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, a Puerto Rican native himself, and can honor the greatest talent from the island this winter.