Ruben "R.J." Alaniz (born June 14, 1991) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

for the

Acereros de Monclova The Acereros de Monclova (English: Monclova Steelers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports l ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

and

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

Professional career

Alaniz was born in

McAllen, Texas McAllen is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Hidalgo County. It is located at the southern tip of the state in the Rio Grande Valley, on the Mexican border. The city limits extend south to the Rio Grande, acros ...

and attended

Juarez-Lincoln High School La Joya Juarez-Lincoln High School (JLHS) is a public senior high school in the Citrus City census-designated place in unincorporated Hidalgo County, Texas (with a Mission postal address), and a part of the La Joya Independent School District. ...

in La Joya, Texas.

Houston Astros

He was signed as an

undrafted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

by the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...

on August 14, 2009, after participating in a tryout camp run by scout Rusty Pendergrass. He was signed for $160,000, with Pendergrass and scout Clarence Johns claiming Alaniz has the "stuff to be a major league starter." He began his professional career the next year. With the

Greeneville Astros The Greeneville Astros were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Rookie League, Rookie-level Appalachian League from 2004 to 2017. They represented the town of Greeneville, Tennessee, though Pioneer Park (stadium), Pioneer Park, their h ...

in 2010, he was 6–4 with a 4.21 ERA and the following year, he was 7–10 with a 4.44 mark for the

Lexington Legends The Lexington Legends are an American professional baseball team based in Lexington, Kentucky. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league" of Major League Baseball. The Legends have ...

. In 2012, Alaniz went 6–2 with a 5.04 ERA for the

Lancaster JetHawks The Lancaster JetHawks were a baseball team located in Lancaster, California. They were named for the city's association with the aerospace industry and played their home games at The Hangar. From 1996 to 2020, they were members of Minor League B ...

and in 2013, he was 9–9 with a 4.53 mark for the

Corpus Christi Hooks The Corpus Christi Hooks are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team is owned b ...

. He was 1–1 with a 6.64 ERA for the

in 2014 before being suspended 50 games for using a

drug of abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definitions ...

in late August. It was his second suspension. Alaniz was once rated as having the best

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

in the Astros system and had been named among the club's best prospects. He appeared in major league spring training in 2012. He returned in 2015 to go 6–4 with a 4.55 ERA for the Hooks. he became a free agent following the season

Detroit Tigers

Alaniz signed a minor league contract with the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

organization on December 3, 2015. He split the 2016 season between the

Erie SeaWolves The Erie SeaWolves are an American professional baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They compete in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) as a member of the Eastern League's Southwest Division, serving as the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Ti ...

and the

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the ...

, accumulating a 4–4 record with a 2.69 ERA in 73 innings. In 2017, he again split the year between Erie and Toledo, accumulating a 3–3 record with a 2.30 ERA in innings. He elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2017.

Tampa Bay Rays

On December 14, 2017, Alaniz signed a minor league contract with the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

organization. He split the 2018 season between the rookie–level

GCL Rays The Florida Complex League Rays are a minor league baseball team in Port Charlotte, Florida, competing as a Rookie-level team in the Florida Complex League as an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional b ...

, the High–A

Charlotte Stone Crabs The Charlotte Stone Crabs were a Minor League Baseball team located in Port Charlotte, Florida, from 2009 to 2020. They competed in the Florida State League (FSL) as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball (MLB) ...

, the Double–A

Montgomery Biscuits The Montgomery Biscuits are a Minor League Baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and play in the Southern League. The team was founded in Orlando, Florida, in 1973 as the Orlando Twins ...

, and the Triple–A

Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened ...

. He accumulated a 3–4 record with a 3.38 ERA in innings. Alaniz elected free agency following the season on November 2.

Seattle Mariners

On November 15, 2018, Alaniz signed a major league contract with the

. He opened the 2019 season with the

Tacoma Rainiers The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, ...

. On April 12, 2019, he was recalled to the major leagues for the first time. He made his debut that night, allowing four runs over two innings of relief. In 4 games with Seattle, Alaniz struggled to a 20.25 ERA.

Cincinnati Reds

On May 31, 2019, he was claimed off waivers by the

and optioned to the

Louisville Bats The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, wi ...

. Alaniz recorded a 5.40 ERA in 8 games with Reds. On December 9, Alaniz was outrighted off the Reds 40-man roster. On September 15, 2020, Alaniz was selected to the major league roster. Alaniz did not make an appearance for Cincinnati in 2020 and was non-tendered by the Reds on December 2. On December 11, Alaniz re-signed with the Reds on a minor league contract. He was assigned to Louisville to begin the 2021 season and posted a 2.25 ERA in 21 appearances. On July 19, 2021, Alaniz was selected to the active roster. In 3 appearances for the Reds in 2021, Alaniz posted a 3.38 ERA with 3 strikeouts. On September 22, 2021, the Reds designated Alaniz for assignment. On October 6, Alaniz elected free agency.

Atlanta Braves

On January 24, 2022, Alaniz signed with the

of the

for the 2022 season. Prior to the start of the Mexican League season, on March 20, Alaniz signed a minor league contract with the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

organization. In 20 games for the Triple-A

Gwinnett Stripers The Gwinnett Stripers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at Coolray Field in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia ...

, Alaniz logged a 3–1 record and 3.81 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 26.0 innings of work. He elected free agency on November 10.

Acereros de Monclova

On February 3, 2023, Alaniz signed with the

of the

. In 23 relief outings, he posted a 4.01 ERA with 20 strikeouts and one save across innings of work. Alaniz made 35 appearances for Monclova in 2024, posting a 4–3 record and 2.31 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 10 saves across 35 innings of relief. Alaniz re-signed with Monclova for the 2025 season his third with the team.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alaniz, Ruben 1991 births Living people Sportspeople from McAllen, Texas Baseball players from Hidalgo County, Texas Major League Baseball pitchers Seattle Mariners players Cincinnati Reds players Greeneville Astros players 21st-century American sportsmen Gulf Coast Astros players Lexington Legends players Lancaster JetHawks players Corpus Christi Hooks players Erie SeaWolves players Toledo Mud Hens players Gulf Coast Rays players Charlotte Stone Crabs players Montgomery Biscuits players Durham Bulls players Tacoma Rainiers players Louisville Bats players Leones del Caracas players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela American expatriate baseball players in Mexico Mexican League baseball pitchers Acereros de Monclova players