Reds draft Razorbacks transfer Damian Ruiz on day three

The Cincinnati Reds spent a ninth-round pick on Arkansas outfielder Damian Ruiz, taking him 272nd overall in the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday.

The selection wraps up a whirlwind two years for Ruiz that carried him from a mid-major program to the SEC and now into pro baseball.

Ruiz began his college days at Houston Christian before he transferred to Lamar ahead of the 2025 season.

That single year turned into one of the best in program history. He hit .388 with seven home runs and 46 RBI while scoring 76 runs, a Lamar single-season record.

He also set the school mark for longest hitting streak at 32 games and longest on-base streak at 49 games.

His 83 hits and 22 doubles both led the Southland Conference and his 76 runs tied for fifth nationally.

Those numbers earned him first-team All-Southland recognition and the league’s hitter of the year award.

Stepping up in the SEC

Arkansas brought Ruiz in through the transfer portal for this past season and he handled the jump well.

He started 54 games in the outfield and posted a .309 average with five home runs, 30 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts.

His on-base ability stood out all year. He drew 35 walks and was hit by a team-leading 12 pitches, helping him post a .442 on-base percentage.

He put together an 18-game stretch of multi-hit performances and stayed hot in SEC play too, hitting .306 with 30 hits in conference games.

Ruiz saved some of his loudest moments for ranked opponents. He hit a home run against fifth-ranked Georgia in April and added another against 24th-ranked Oklahoma in May.

He also opened his Razorback career with a hit in the season opener against Oklahoma State at Globe Life Field.

Seventh Hog off the board

Ruiz becomes the seventh Razorback drafted this year and joins fellow position players Ryder Helfrick and Camden Kozeal as position-player picks from the Arkansas roster.

His path from Houston Christian to Lamar to Fayetteville and now to the Reds organization shows how far a strong transfer season can carry a player.

Cincinnati now gets an outfielder who combines contact hitting with real speed and a track record of getting on base against top competition.

Key takeaways

• Ruiz set Lamar’s single-season records for runs scored, hitting streak and on-base streak during his Southland hitter of the year campaign
• He posted a .442 on-base percentage at Arkansas thanks to 35 walks and a team-leading 12 hit-by-pitches
• Ruiz becomes the seventh Razorback selected in the 2026 MLB Draft after Cincinnati took him in round nine