Ruby, who plays for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in the Mavericks Independent Baseball League, came out as gay on 2 September in an interview with USA Today.
Ruby shared that thinking of his younger self encouraged him to come out publicly, though he has reportedly been out to his friends, family and teammates for some time. “I kept thinking about the little 14-year-old me, who was scared because I’m a baseball player who loved country music,” Ruby explained. “Those are worlds where people like me are told they can’t belong.” The athlete, who is now 25-years-old, is hopeful that being open about his sexuality will encourage those who look up to him to become more comfortable in themselves.