Edgar Cruz

Edgar O. Cruz

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 190 lb.
• High School Escuela Superior Vocacional Isabel Flores

• Born August 12, 1978 in Humacao Puerto Rico

BR Minors page

Biographical information

Edgar Cruz was a second-round draft pick who never made it past AA in eight seasons.

Cruz was picked by the Cleveland Indians in the second round of the 1997 amateur draft. The 67th overall selection, the pick was compensation for the loss of Albert Belle to free agency. Assigned to the Burlington Indians, Cruz hit .211/.274/.339 with 54 strikeouts in 171 at-bats and 20 passed balls in 38 games at catcher. He led the Appalachian League in passed balls. He split 1998 between the Columbus Redstixx (.247/.316/.437, 16 HR in 107 G, 25 PB in 104 G at C) and Kinston Indians (5 for 33, 2 2B). In 1999, he was again with Columbus (.216/.277/.310, 4 HR in 62 G) and Kinston (.150/.215/.278 in 35 G), striking out 100 times in 365 at-bats. He spent all of 2000 with the Redstixx, but his offensive woes continued, producing at a .181/.245/.331 rate. He had 15 errors, 24 passed balls and only threw out 28% of attempted base-stealers. He led South Atlantic League players in passed balls though he did tie Chairon Isenia for the most assists (81) at catcher. He ended his time in the Indians chain in 2001, hitting poorly for Columbus (.205/.288/.366 in 33 G) and Kinston (6 for 47, 2B, 3 BB).

The Philadelphia Phillies signed him next. In 2002, he played for the Clearwater Threshers (.214/.271/.346 in 73 G) and Reading Phillies (2 for 4). He was with the same two clubs in 2003, hitting .162/.220/.243 in 11 for Clearwater and .221/.259/.329 in 62 for Reading. He was 5 for 28 with a walk for the 2004 Threshers when he was released. He was the first player the team let go that year and thus the first player to get the news from Mike Schmidt in his season as a manager. Schmidt later wrote that the news was even harder to give because Cruz and his wife were imminently expecting their first child.

Overall, Cruz had hit .207/.267/.341 in 555 minor league games and had 126 passed balls.

Sources

• 1998-2002 Baseball Almanacs
• Clearing the Bases by Mike Schmidt