Coach Paul Stevens couldn’t help but smirk when asked what he liked about Kyle Ruchim.
“He’s a good-looking kid,” Stevens said.
Stevens liked Ruchim’s athleticism and poise so much that he pursued him early and got the Buffalo Grove, Ill., native to commit before his junior year at Stevenson High School. Since arriving in Evanston, Ruchim got “thrown into the frying pan,” Stevens said, as the freshman has started all 36 games this year.
“He’s been gaining momentum,” Stevens said. “Every time he walks out on the field, he’s capable of handling any situation.”
Senior Chris Lashmet, who started 47 of 49 games as a freshman and has been the team’s everyday third baseman for the last four seasons, said Ruchim has adjusted faster to Division I baseball than any player he’s seen in his time at Northwestern.
“He was a very mature kid when he came in,” Lashmet said. “In my four years, he’s probably the most ready for D-I right out of the gates. He’s had his struggles, like every freshman has. He’s starting to play to his full potential now.”
Ruchim flashed his potential last Saturday when he blasted two long balls against Purdue. He started the season at shortstop but has since shifted positions, moving to second base and occasionally appearing in the outfield and on the mound.
Ruchim has pitched 8.1 innings over six appearances, allowing four earned runs and striking out 11. Pitching, Ruchim said, is something he’s always done on the periphery.
“I never really looked at myself as a pitcher,” the 5-foot-10-inch, 175-pounder said. “It’s been something I’ve done so much over the years that it’s developed into something I can do also, along with playing a position.”
Though the team doesn’t call on Ruchim to pitch too often, Stevens said with his 91 mph fastball and good movement, Ruchim brings a mixture of talent and competitiveness, no matter where he lines up on the field.
But his dedication to the diamond isn’t the only aspect Stevens likes about Ruchim. He also has a penchant for academics and is studying on the pre-med track.
“Kyle thinks about two things primarily: It’s baseball and books,” Stevens said. “He’s pretty interesting as far as his commitment to what he does, how he does it and when he does it.”
Ruchim, who is interested in sports medicine, said acclimating to the academic rigors of NU has been a rockier road than getting used to college ball. But organic chemistry would throw even the best of students a curveball.
Ruchim’s smarts have taken root in his approach to baseball, as he’s constantly finding ways to improve. He also takes a cerebral approach in absorbing the role of leadership.
A year after underclassmen at Stevenson watched and learned from Ruchim, he now takes note of how Lashmet and juniors Trevor Stevens and Paul Snieder deal with tough times.
“There was a game against Minnesota where Lashmet wasn’t doing so well early in the game, came up with a big situation late and then came through,” Ruchim said. “He never showed that he was upset with anything. That’s been a great example for not only me, but for all the other freshmen, too.”
Though Ruchim isn’t sure if Lashmet’s shoes can be filled, he is committed to leading the team in his next few years.
“You learn from those guys,” Ruchim said, “and eventually it is going to be your role. I feel like having so much experience as a freshman is going to help me fill those shoes a little bit easier.”
Ruchim will continue lacing up his spikes for NU (13-23, 5-7 Big Ten) as it faces conference foe Illinois (15-21, 6-6) this weekend at Rocky Miller Park.
