Steven Cruz (baseball)

On March 20, 2017, Cruz signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins organization.^[1] He made his professional debut with the Dominican Summer League Twins, posting a 3.68 ERA in 16 games. The following year, he played for the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Twins, recording a 3.12 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched across 13 appearances.^[2] Cruz spent a third straight year in the rookie–league in 2019, playing in 17 games for the Elizabethton Twins and logging a 2.90 ERA with 48 strikeouts.^[3]

Cruz did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4] He returned to action in 2021, playing for the Single–A Fort Myers Miracle and High–A Cedar Rapids Kernels. In 28 combined contests, Cruz pitched to a 4–2 record and 4.32 ERA with 80 strikeouts across 50 innings pitched.^[5] In 2022, he pitched in 48 games out of the bullpen for the Double–A Wichita Wind Surge, registering a 5.14 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 56 innings of work.^[6]

On January 24, 2023, the Minnesota Twins traded Cruz and Evan Sisk to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Michael A. Taylor.^[7] In 43 appearances split between the Double–A Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Triple–A Omaha Storm Chasers, he worked to a cumulative 3.81 ERA with 64 strikeouts and 9 saves across 49+2⁄3 innings of work.^[8] On August 29, Cruz was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.^[9] In 10 appearances for Kansas City in his rookie campaign, he posted a 4.97 ERA with 15 strikeouts across 12+2⁄3 innings pitched.

أُرسل كروز إلى فريق أوماها من الدرجة الثالثة (AAA) لبدء موسم 2024. ^{[ 10 ]} وقدّم خمس مباريات دون أن يُسجّل عليه أي نقطة مع فريق كانساس سيتي خلال ذلك العام، حيث أخرج أربعة ضاربين بالضربة القاضية في 5 و 2 / 3 أشواط. أُرسل كروز مرة أخرى إلى فريق أوماها من الدرجة الثالثة (AAA ) لبدء موسم 2025. ^{[ 11 ]} وفي 9 مايو 2025، حقق كروز فوزه الأول في مسيرته بعد أن لعب آخر 2/3 شوط من مباراة امتدت لأشواط إضافية ضد فريق بوسطن ريد سوكس . ^{[ 12 ]}

تم إرسال كروز إلى فريق أوماها من الدرجة الثالثة لبدء موسم 2026. ^{[ 13 ]}