Trei Cruz, a third-generation baseball player, has been added to the Detroit Tigers' 40-man roster after a breakout season. The news came via a call from Tigers vice president Ryan Garko, leaving Cruz emotional and ecstatic. This move protects him from the Rule 5 Draft and positions him for a potential Major League call-up.
Trei Cruz had just finished a workout last week when he received a career-changing call from Tigers vice president Ryan Garko, who oversees player development. The news: Cruz's addition to the Tigers' 40-man roster, a significant step that guarantees his spot in Major League Spring Training camp and shields him from the Rule 5 Draft.
"I was emotional," Cruz admitted. "I shed a couple tears, I will say. Happy tears. I was ecstatic, man."
Cruz shared the moment with his family, including his mother, who cried and screamed with excitement, and his grandfather, former Astros great Jose Cruz Sr., an Astros Hall of Famer who played 19 MLB seasons. His father, Jose Cruz Jr., played 12 years, including as a star in Toronto where Trei was born, and now serves as head coach at Rice University.
Drafted by the Tigers in the third round out of Rice in 2020 as a switch-hitting shortstop, Cruz's path included early struggles, hitting .161 across three levels in 2021. He progressed in 2022 with a promotion to Double-A Erie, where he played 299 games over four years, contributing to back-to-back Eastern League titles for the SeaWolves.
"Erie taught me a lot," Cruz said. "It’s a battle to grind... I’m grateful to be a guy that could play every single day there."
Adjusting his swing two years ago for more power and embracing the Tigers' strike zone philosophy, Cruz added center field to his versatility, drawing on family outfielding expertise—both his father (a Gold Glove winner) and grandfather started there. A torn UCL in his elbow led to Tommy John surgery in 2024, but he rehabbed in time for Spring Training.
After strong performances in big league camp, Cruz returned to Erie before earning a Triple-A Toledo promotion. His combined 2024 stats: .279 average, .411 on-base percentage, .456 slugging, 33 doubles, 13 homers, 66 RBIs, 95 runs, 17 stolen bases, and 102 walks in 127 games across six positions.
"Going into this year after getting surgery on my elbow, I wanted to make a goal," Cruz said. "I was going to come back better, come back stronger, and I’m going to make this 40-man roster one way or another."
The Tigers kept him in Toledo for workouts during their postseason run, signaling their investment. Now, the third-generation Cruz eyes the Majors.
"It was a surreal moment," he said. "It’s something that I’ve worked on ever since being drafted."