Position: 3B/SS
Born: 10/8/1995
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 170 lb B-T: R-R
Acquired: Signed for $450,000 from Dominican Republic in 2012
Career Stats
FutureSox Prospect Rankings
- #26 – 2015 Midseason
- #15 – 2016 Preseason
- #22 – 2016 Midseason
FutureSox Media
Accolades
Scouting Report
Cruz was part of Marco Paddy’s first July 2 international class in 2012. He received the second-highest bonus at $450,000 at 17 years old. In Cruz’s first pro season in the DSL he hit a paltry .123/.216/.376. The shortstop made adjustments and returned to the DSL and hit .329/.424/.895 at 18 years old in 2014. This earned Cruz a midseason promotion to the AZL to finish out the season.
In 2015 the Sox sent Cruz to Great Falls and he surprised and impressed with a high contact rate and some power. He ended up being one of the team’s best producers at the plate, posting a .312/.338/.442 line with six home runs. The next year in Kannapolis he had his ups and downs and finished the season with a .255/.323/.371 line. In Winston-Salem in 2017, the 21-year-old struggled at the plate once more (.218/.256/.350) and played in just 75 games. He hasn’t made it out of A ball yet.
Cruz was described at signing time by Baseball America as one of the best defensive shortstops in the Dominican, but his bat needed to catch up. He’s played a mix of shortstop and third base as a pro, where he flashes elite athleticism and some great plays but is still loose overall. Plenty of arm for the left side though.
In the end though, he hasn’t hit outside rookie ball, and his plate presence is inconsistent. There’s not much power to speak of either. At this point, he’s got a narrow window to hit, perhaps for a utility role, but much development remains for him to get there.
Major League Outlook: Utility player if he makes it
ETA: Career minor leaguer