IHS junior Ruth prepares for D1 Niagara

Benjamin Ruth has made great strides in his junior season on the Ithaca High School baseball team, putting up impressive numbers on the mound. Ruth is already committed to play for Division I Niagara University after his 2023 graduation and knows he’ll need to continue the upward trajectory to deserve playing time at that level.

Playing in countless college showcases and summer tournaments and leagues, Ruth was noticed by several college teams. A connection to the Niagara area helped narrow down his choice. Then, a recent campus visit, Ruth’s first, solidified his desire to play for the Purple Eagles.

“Ever since I was a kid, my dad, he had a charter business up on Lake Ontario, and we would always go up there,” Ruth said. “Niagara Falls was always a really cool place for me. It was a very special area. Then, I saw the team, and the team chemistry and everything is amazing. They’re a Division I baseball program. They’re going to go try and win games, and everybody’s just doing their best to go make it pro.”

The visit was a great opportunity for Ruth to see what a Division I baseball team looks like up close. It was also alerted him to the work he’ll have to put in over the next year and a half to get to that level.

“It’s really cool,” Ruth said. “All the guys were really big, really fast, much bigger than I thought they were going to be. I hopefully can see myself doing that. I have to put in the work. Like I said earlier, the team chemistry, everything is amazing. People are putting the time and work in effort. It’s a much higher level of baseball.”

Ruth took the opportunity to talk to his future head coach to specify what needs to be done to go from standout Section IV player to Division I caliber.

“Coach [Rob] McCoy, who’s the head coach at Niagara, was helping me with some of the stuff I need to do,” Ruth said. “I need to put on weight, gain some more muscle and I need to gain velocity. I’m going to be working on that this summer, doing pulldowns, bands, everything I can do to gain velocity. I’m going to be working hard for it.”

There have been several games this season where Ruth has simply overpowered opponents on the mound. Twice this year, Ruth had strikeout totals in the double digits after an elongated ramp-up in the beginning of the season. Ruth talked about what he’s been focusing on this season.

“This year has been location and secondary pitches,” Ruth said. “I’ve been working on a cutter/slider and a changeup. I’m trying to increase my pitch arsenal. Then, my velocity has come up a little bit. I’m working on my mechanics and I’m working on location trying to hit spots instead of just throwing.”

It’s never been easier in baseball to track progress with all of the technology in the sport now. There’s one number in particular that Ruth is hoping to hit before heading to Niagara.

“Velocity-wise, my big goal is probably 85 to 88 [miles per hour],” Ruth said. “That would be amazing. That’s a lot of time and effort into that. But I also want just go out there and pitch, do me and put up good numbers and play well.”

Baseball is a year-round pursuit for Ruth, who does not play a second sport at Ithaca High School. He detailed his summer plans.

“I’m playing for Baseball U New York [this summer],” Ruth said. “We’ve got some tournaments. It’s an 18U team, and we’re going to play some good. My pitching coach, coach [Scott] Landers, helped me in the offseason. Hopefully, all the work that he put in with me is going to help. I’m going to play up in Fabius for a collegiate baseball league. I’m going to pitch there to get some experience pitching against some of the better guys.”

Baseball also runs in the family. Benjamin’s older brother, Will, is currently on the St. John Fisher baseball team. His father, Bill, runs a baseball bat manufacturing company on the side. He talked about the impact his family has had on him.

“My dad has always pushed me to do better,” Ruth said. “He is the one that gets me up in the morning and the one that helps me with throwing mechanics. He’s my eye, and my brother is my idol. I look up to him. He’s performing well. He’s just been doing everything right in the weight room, eating right and playing baseball. My dad and my mom [Shelley Ruth] have been the people that have been getting me along, and my brother has always been the person I’ve been looking up to.”

While there’s another season at IHS ahead of him, Ruth can call himself a future Division I baseball player.

“I don’t think it’s hit me yet,” Ruth said. “It’s been a crazy ride, a crazy experience, but I’m really excited. I’m ready to go be with the guys, and it’s going to be fun. I’m ready to get the best out of me.”

Ruth and the Little Red wrapped up the regular season on Tuesday against Elmira with Ruth on the mound for the series finale. Now, his focus will shift to summer ball and making even greater strides.

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