BRONX, NY — Seven years ago, New York Yankees’ reliever Fernando Cruz found himself on the other side of the bridge with the New Jersey Jackals playing independent baseball at 28-years-old.
This was all after flaming out of Minor League Baseball and never playing in MLB despite seven years spent across two organizations.
The Kansas City Royals drafted the Bayamón, Puerto Rico native in the sixth round of the 2007 MLB Draft as an infielder. He switched to pitching during the 2011-2012 seasons, was released by the Royals after their 2012 campaign and didn’t return to Minor League Baseball until 2015 with the Chicago Cubs, where he reached the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
Fernando Cruz pitching for the Jackals – Image Credit: New Jersey Jackals
The Cubs still didn’t see enough and that’s what led him to the Jackals from 2016-2018. Cruz also played several winters in his homeland of Puerto Rico and Mexico during this time.
His career path has seen him play for an astounding 18 different teams, including teams and organizations in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, several Caribbean Series, and in a few Independent baseball leagues.
“I think adversity is the (biggest) blessing that anybody could have… it shows you the way of life and how you have to work and go after your business.” Cruz said this past Sunday before the Rays-Yankees series finale, a Tampa Bay 7-5 win.
“Adversity keeps you humble, striving, and hungry and I think about the process. You have to embrace it, hug it, love it, and worry only about the process and not the results.”
Fernando Cruz represented his homeland of Puerto Rico in the 2023 WBC – Image Credit: MLB
Cruz is extremely humble and it was very clear how sincere and deliberate he was with his words and how every step of his unlikely path truly made him a better player and person.
The life changing deal with the Reds
In 2022, the right-handed reliever got the break he was looking for and signed another MiLB deal with the Cincinnati Reds. Cruz was solid for their Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats, and was second in the minor leagues with 23 saves in 56 innings that season. When the rosters expanded in September of 2022, Cruz realized his MLB dream and debuted with the Reds. After 15 years of going through every stop imaginable, Cruz was finally rewarded for all of his dedication.
He stuck with the Reds through the 2024 season, racking up 228 strikeouts in 147.1 innings in his career in Cincinnati. The majority of his 228 strikeouts came on his devastating splitter, which accounted for 81% of his strikeouts.
“The years with the Jackals, Independent ball, Mexico, and everywhere in the world, it helped me strive more, find more, and fight for what I really wanted,” Cruz explained. “It was the best time of my life.”
His new opportunity with Yankees
Cruz was traded to the Yankees this past offseason for catcher Jose Trevino, an under-the-radar move by Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman and New York’s front office.
“Coming here is a blessing from above,” he said. “I’m honored to be here and it’s a pleasure for me to represent these colors and this uniform. It’s been a really lovely process to be able to be where I am right now. I love New York and I love the Yankees. I am embracing it and we are going to do big things this year.”
It was easy to dissect the real meaning this all has to him by the way he took deep breaths, paused several times, and was very reflective of his unlikely path to the Bronx. Based on this interview, it was also apparent that he is not taking anything for granted and Cruz really appreciates the process that got him to MLB with the Reds and now, the Yankees.
Fernando Cruz’s journey to the pros was an up-hill battle for the Puerto Rico native – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Additionally, his splitter hasn’t lost a beat. And overall, he’s been nearly unhittable with the Yankees in 2025, with a 1.45 ERA, and 28 strikeouts in 18.2 innings of work.
Cruz expanded on the dynamics of his splitter:
“I was messing around with a teammate of mine in winter ball Domingo Cepeda in 2013.”
Cepeda played with Cruz in Puerto Rico with the Indios de Mayagüez in Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente.
“I don’t have an explanation for it or a certain way I grab it,” Cruz said of his splitter. “It’s just a gift from above, a gift from god, and to this game, but I’ve obviously spent a lot of time refining it and I’m grateful for it.”
Ever since meeting at Yankee Stadium in 2024, Fernando Cruz has become a big supporter of Latino Sports – Image Credit: Latino Sports
Moreover, Cruz has found himself in several big spots for the Yankees and has even thrown two innings on several occasions and he collected his first two MLB saves this season.
“Picking up my bullpen and picking up guys anytime I go one plus… Coming up in big situations and saving games,” Cruz said. “Every outing I have is the most important outing of my life. I’m just taking it all in the present, I’m really excited and there’s a lot more left.”
His best performance of the 2025 season, saw him fire two scoreless innings, with no hits allowed and four strikeouts on April 1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium.
Fernando Cruz diced up the Diamondbacks in his April outing at Yankee Stadium – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
If all goes well, Cruz will be a Yankee through the remainder of his contract which expires after the 2028 season.
Final Reflections on His Career
There were several times throughout his long 22-year long journey into MLB where he could’ve quit, but that passion of that 10-year-old kid who started playing baseball in Bayamón, Puerto Rico wouldn’t die. By the time he was 14-15 years old, Cruz knew that he wanted to pursue a baseball career and his mother was one of the people that wouldn’t let him give up.
The Yankees are extra special for him since he had his mother buy him excessive amounts of Yankees apparel when he was a kid.
As he was paving his way with the Reds, his mother passed away in 2021 and there’s not a day that goes by where Cruz doesn’t think about the importance she had in his life.
Fernando Cruz’s dream would not have come true if it was not for his mother believing in him and his talent – Image Credit: MLB
“My mom just kept telling me to keep going and going,” Cruz stated. “I couldn’t stop looking for more and getting ready for what I’m living right now.”
Another unique thing about Cruz is that he uses “The Circle of Life” hit-song from the popular movie, “Lion King” as his intro from the bullpen and warm up track.
Now, “The Lion King” has found Broadway and he has no plans of leaving anytime soon.
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