This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato's Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

It has been nearly a year since the Nationals acquired Keibert Ruiz in a blockbuster deal with the Dodgers at the 2021 Trade Deadline to become their starting catcher. Just 23 years old, Ruiz has been tasked with calling the majority of the Nats' games.

But rewind to when he was 12, and Ruiz was just getting acclimated behind the plate. Ruiz began playing baseball in Venezuela as an outfielder who also got some work in at shortstop. He didn’t showcase the fastest speed, though, and he was moved to catcher because of that.

“The first couple months were really hard,” Ruiz said. “My legs were tired and heavy. Then, I started learning faster and I really liked it.”

Around the time he was 14, Ruiz worked with Raúl Chávez and other Venezuelan former Major League catchers. When it came to current players, he enjoyed watching Cubs catcher Willson Contreras for his athleticism.

Ruiz signed with the Dodgers in 2014, and he realized his potential during his first pro ball experience, the ‘15 Dominican Summer League.

“I felt like I could catch,” Ruiz said. “I was blocking the ball. The coaches told me, 'You receive the ball really well.' When we’re 14, we just play the game. But in pro ball, it’s different.”

Looking back, Ruiz believes playing the outfield helped him navigate popups as a catcher. But he appreciates the differences in the positions, and he is glad to play Major League baseball with his current vantage point.

“You’ve got the game in front of you,” Ruiz said. “You’re always in the game.”