Ruddy Lugo
| IP | 133 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.398 |
| WHIP | 1.481 |
| BB/9 | 5.008 |
| SO/9 | 5.549 |
- Full name Ruddy Joraider Lugo
- Born 05/22/1980 in Barahona, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: S / Throws: R
- School Xaverian
- Debut 04/03/2006
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Drafted in the 3rd round (94th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1999 (signed for $375,000).
View Draft Report
RHP Ruddy Lugo has one of the more intriguing arms in the draft, but scouts are unsure what to make of him. There's concern that he's too small (5-foot-10, 190 pounds) to be a legitimate first-round pick. And there's a faction that can't decide whether he's more of a pitcher or an everyday player. Most see him as a pitcher because he has outstanding velocity (93-94 mph). But he doesn't pitch on a downward plane, his fastball is straight and his other pitches are inconsistent, though he shows a plus slider at times. He dominated against local competition but was knocked around a bit when his team played in the National Classic high school tournament in California in April, and there's concern he won't stand out in pro ball. As a shortstop, he swings the bat well and has good natural actions and a strong arm in the field.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The younger brother of Astros shortstop Julio Lugo, Ruddy showed promise as an athletic two-way player in high school. He was compared to Frankie Rodriguez, another highly touted two-way prospect who came up through the New York City prep ranks. Like Rodriguez, Lugo expressed interest in continuing to both hit and pitch as a pro, but the Brewers drafted him with the intention of using him as a pitcher. Acquired in the Devon White-Marquis Grissom trade, Lugo fires low- to mid-90s heat that gets on hitters in a hurry. He has a diverse arsenal of pitches, featuring a fastball that cuts, runs or sinks, breaking balls from different angles and an above-average changeup. He has a quick arm and uses his athleticism well on the mound, but some scouts think the flat plane to his fastball and curve will affect his success at higher levels. He'll return to Double-A, where he finished 2002. -
Like his brother Julio, an Astros outfielder, Ruddy was born in the Dominican Republic but grew up in Brooklyn. He was also a good shortstop in high school, but more teams liked him as a pitcher because of his arm strength. With all the similarities in their backgrounds, Lugo has drawn natural comparisions to Mariners righthander Frank Rodriguez. Lugo has heard more than once that he's too short to pitch in the big leagues, though, and the odds are longer for small righthanders because it's so difficult for them to get downward action on the ball. But most of those pitchers don't have Lugo's velocity. He gets his fastball to the plate in the mid-90s and has shown a good changeup and curveball. Control was a problem for him last year, when he had 52 walks, 12 hit batters and seven wild pitches in 92 innings. He also logged 88 strikeouts and showed an ability to work out of jams. Because he didn't play against much top-flight competition in high school, Lugo will need time to develop. But he has great determination and the desire to prove critics wrong.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The younger brother of Astros shortstop Julio Lugo, Ruddy drew a lot of interest as a two-way player before the Brewers drafted him in the third round in 1999. He has made his living exclusively on the mound as a pro and joined the Dodgers in the Marquis Grissom-Devon White trade last year. Managers had no doubts that Lugo has found his niche. "He was the best pitcher in the league," Pevey said. "This kid was 93-95 like Rosario, but with a little better breaking ball. He's built like Raul Mondesi, very athletic on the mound." Lugo also throws a cutter off of his fastball, and demonstrates very good command of a curveball and changeup. Shuffled between starting and relieving throughout his career, he thrived in both situations for Vero Beach. -
Lugo was a Brooklyn high school sensation in 1999, but his 5-foot-11, 175-pound size limited him to the third round of the draft. It's still a mark against him when scouts and managers rate prospects, but at least he turned his performance around this year. He was hit hard in his pro debut with the Raptors last year, going 1-2, 7.88 and allowing 35 hits in 24 innings. This season he went 5-5, 3.44 in almost four times the innings. Lugo has an above-average fastball and made significant progress with his breaking pitch. There's nothing wrong with his stuff, though 5-foot-9 might be a more realistic height.
Scouting Reports
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Lugo was a Brooklyn high school sensation in 1999, but his 5-foot-11, 175-pound size limited him to the third round of the draft. It's still a mark against him when scouts and managers rate prospects, but at least he turned his performance around this year. He was hit hard in his pro debut with the Raptors last year, going 1-2, 7.88 and allowing 35 hits in 24 innings. This season he went 5-5, 3.44 in almost four times the innings. Lugo has an above-average fastball and made significant progress with his breaking pitch. There's nothing wrong with his stuff, though 5-foot-9 might be a more realistic height.
