Steven Cruz (baseball)
Dominican baseball player (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Steven Adalberto Cruz (born June 15, 1999) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
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| Steven Cruz | |
|---|---|
Cruz with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2023 | |
| Kansas City Royals – No. 64 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: June 15, 1999 Tenares, Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 29, 2023, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| MLB statistics (through July 2, 2026) | |
| Win–loss record | 5–3 |
| Earned run average | 4.14 |
| Strikeouts | 92 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Career
Minnesota Twins
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]
Kansas City Royals
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.
Cruz was optioned to Triple–A Omaha to begin the 2024 season.[10] He made five scoreless appearances for Kansas City on the year, striking out four batters across 5+2⁄3 innings pitched. Cruz was again optioned to Triple-A Omaha to begin the 2025 season.[11] On May 9, 2025, Cruz recorded his first career win after tossing the final 2⁄3 innings of an extra-inning victory over the Boston Red Sox.[12]
Cruz was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to begin the 2026 season.[13]