Trei
Cruz

2020 DRAFT: A switch-hitter with very good hand/eye, Cruz has confidence and a good feel to hit from both sides. The Rice standout has a small hitch from the right side which adds length to his swing, and a more natural cut from the left side, albeit with a bit less raw power. He can rush his swing at times with a late stride, but he is confident and has a good feel to hit from both sides of the dish. Through 16 games and 58 at bats this spring, Cruz showcased his offensive prowess, slashing .328/.487/.500 with seven doubles and a home run, as well as more walks (18) than strikeouts (17). This follows a solid summer with Cotuit of the Cape Cod Baseball League, for whom he slashed .307/.384/.429. Cruz is also an aggressive defender with solid actions and good body control. He can handle shortstop at the collegiate level, but may fit best at second or third base at the next level, with second the better fit with his offensive profile. Cruz could come off the board as early and seems a lock to be selected no later than the third round.

8/13/19: As a sophomore-eligible by age for the 2019 draft, the 6-foot-2, 200 pound infielder fell in the draft due to signing bonus demands. He was ultimately selected by Washington in the 37th round, but did not sign. Coming off a strong spring season with a .912 OPS, Cruz padded his resume with a .307/.384/.429 slash for the Commodores. His loud contact during each of my looks is a sign of great things to come and a much higher selection in 2020. A switch-hitter with very good hand/eye, Cruz has a small hitch from the right side which adds length to his swing. His swing is more natural and easier from the left side, but with a bit less raw power. He can rush his swing at times with a late stride, but he is confident and has a good feel to hit from both sides. However, defense is where Cruz must prove himself. With 19 errors (.919 FLD%) last spring for the Owls, he will need to improve at shortstop. He’s an aggressive defender who has all of the necessary talents with smooth actions and good body control to remain there in the short term. If not, he has plenty of arm strength, above average-to-plus from all angles, to move to the hot corner. Or he could slide over to the keystone where he would profile as an offensive second baseman. An above average runner underway, Cruz also has good base running instincts and will steal some bases; swiped 11 in 14 attempts this summer. With top scale baseball makeup and a strong work ethic, Cruz looked intent upon improving during my looks. His pre-game routine was consistent and focused. While others played two-ball, Cruz spent his time doing extra stretching, drillwork and plyos. He is a Day One follow this June. (Seifert)

4/11/19: Athletic build with strength present at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. Shortstop worked through several chances to his left, showing easy hands and a quick exchange to a short arm action, with carry from a high-3/4 release. Has the ability to manipulate his slot to fit his feet on the move with accuracy. Offensively, a switch hitter uses a similar setup on each side with a tall, open base and high hands. Lots of pre-pitch rhythm and movement prior to a slight leg kick and aggressive stride. Hand strength is present with quickness in the swing. Pre-pitch movement and waggle created some issues with barrel awareness, but the movement calms with two strikes, lending to hard barrel contact, flat through the zone and the ability to work both gaps. In one look, he flashed with his athleticism and quickness. Is an interesting follow as a soph-eligible draft that is hitting .293 and slugging .527 with 7 homeruns, 6 doubles, and 4 triples on the year. (B Hall)