Omar Cruz
Mexican baseball player (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Omar Alejandro Cruz (born January 26, 1999) is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher in the San Diego Padres organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2025.
| Omar Cruz | |
|---|---|
Cruz in 2022 with the Altoona Curve | |
| San Diego Padres | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: January 26, 1999 Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 1, 2025, for the San Diego Padres | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 0–0 |
| Earned run average | 4.91 |
| Strikeouts | 5 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Career
San Diego Padres
Cruz signed with the San Diego Padres as an international free agent on July 3, 2017.[1] He made his professional debut in 2018 with the Rookie-level Arizona League Padres and was promoted to the Tri-City Dust Devils of the Low–A Northwest League in July. Over 11 games (ten starts) with the two clubs, he pitched to a 1–1 record with a 1.91 ERA, striking out 59 batters over 42+1⁄3 innings.[2][3]
Cruz returned to Tri-City to begin the 2019 season before he was promoted to the Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Single–A Midwest League. He compiled a combined 2–3 record and 2.73 ERA over 12 starts, striking out 76 over 56 innings.[4] Cruz did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
Pittsburgh Pirates
On January 19, 2021, Cruz (alongside David Bednar, Drake Fellows, Hudson Head, and Endy Rodríguez) was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three team deal that also sent Joe Musgrove to the Padres and Joey Lucchesi to the New York Mets.[6] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the High-A East.[7] After seven starts in which he went 3–3 with a 3.45 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 28+2⁄3 innings, he was promoted to the Altoona Curve of the Double-A Northeast.[8] Over 14 starts with Altoona, he went 3–4 with a 3.44 ERA over 70+2⁄3 innings.[9] He returned to Altoona for the 2022 season.[10] Over 23 games (five starts), Cruz posted a 3–3 record with a 5.03 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 62+2⁄3 innings.[11]
San Diego Padres (second stint)
On December 6, 2023, Cruz was selected by the San Diego Padres in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.[12] He made 34 appearances split between the Double–A San Antonio Missions and Triple–A El Paso Chihuahuas, compiling a 6–2 record and 3.96 ERA with 118 strikeouts across 86+1⁄3 innings pitched. On November 19, 2024, the Padres added Cruz to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[13]
Cruz was initially optioned to Triple-A El Paso to begin the 2025 season.[14] However, on March 27, 2025, it was announced that Cruz had made San Diego's Opening Day roster.[15] He made two appearances for the Padres during his rookie campaign, recording a 4.91 ERA with five strikeouts across 3+2⁄3 innings pitched. On November 21, Cruz was non-tendered by San Diego and became a free agent.[16]
On January 14, 2026, Cruz re-signed with the Padres organization on a minor league contract.[17]