Ruben Alaniz

Playing career

Alaniz was born in McAllen, Texas and attended Juarez-Lincoln High School in La Joya, Texas. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Houston Astros 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 Greenville Astros 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. In 2012, Alaniz went 6-2 with a 5.04 ERA for the Lancaster JetHawks and in 2013, he was 9-9 with a 4.53 mark for the Corpus Christi Hooks. He was 1-1 with a 6.64 ERA for the Corpus Christi Hooks in 2014 before being suspended 50 games for using a drug of abuse in late August. It was his second suspension. He returned in 2015 to go 6-4 with a 4.55 ERA for the Hooks; he became a free agent following the season and signed with the Tigers on December 3.

Alaniz was once rated as having the best curveball in the Astros system and had been named among the club's best prospects. He appeared in major league spring training in 2012.