On Wednesday, the University of Nebraska Omaha announced that former Major League Baseball first baseman Darin Ruf will join the school’s NCAA Division I Baseball program as an assistant coach.
Ruf, 38, has not officially announced his retirement from professional baseball. He played nine seasons in MLB with the Philadelphia Phillies (2012-16), San Francisco Giants (2020-22, 2023), New York Mets (2022), and Milwaukee Brewers (2023). Ruf played three seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization with the Samsung Lions from 2017-19. He led the KBO in RBI in 2017 with 124.
Ruf was born in Ohama, Nebraska, and attended Creighton University, where he earned 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors. He never made an MLB All-Star team or hit for a high average, but he possessed good power, averaging 19 home runs per 162 games.
Ruf will assist University of Nebraska Omaha head coach Evan Porter, who took over the program in 2017. Porter played shortstop for the Omaha Mavericks from 2005-09 and played professional baseball overseas in Germany, Sweden, Australia, and Holland. He was an assistant coach with the Mavericks from 2013-16 before becoming head coach.
“I am thrilled to be joining Evan’s staff in Ohama,” Ruf said in a statement released by the University of Nebraska Omaha. “I have been blessed with amazing coaches throughout my career, and I am honored Evan has given me the opportunity to give back and work with these student-athletes. I look forward to working with them on the field to become the best ball players they can be off the field as they continue to develop into great people for the community of Ohama.”
Porter, drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 23rd round of the 2009 MLB Draft, is delighted to have Ruf on his coaching staff.
“We are thrilled to have Darin join our baseball family,” Porter said in the statement released by the University. “Darin’s incredible track record speaks for itself, but his character and work ethic are perhaps more impressive. I’ve been fortunate to know Darin for the past 20 years. His respect for the game and the people around him is admirable. I couldn’t be more excited to work with Darin, he is a tremendous addition to our program.”
Ruf’s commitment to the Mavericks likely means his playing days are over. If so, he finishes his MLB career with 581 games played, 67 home runs, 205 RBI, and .239/.329/.427 slash line.
The University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks finished the 2024 season 18-32-1 and compete in the Summit League, a conference in the midwestern United States. Their schedule for 2025 is yet to be released.
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WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
Photo Credit: Darin Ruf #25 of the Milwaukee Brewers takes the field against the Toronto Blue Jays in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on May 30, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
