When Trei Cruz was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2020, the profile was easy to understand but harder to project.
He was a switch-hitting infielder out of Rice, came from one of the more recognizable baseball families in the sport and had enough athletic ability to play multiple spots on the dirt. In a draft profile I wrote six years ago at Motor City Bengals, the basics were already there. Cruz had shown the ability to get on base at Rice, he had a consistent swing from both sides of the plate, he had experience at second base, third base and shortstop, and he had the arm strength to make those positions work.
There were questions, too. The raw power had not fully translated into game power, and there were concerns from evaluators about whether he would make the routine play consistently enough to stick at shortstop. At the time, the conclusion was that Cruz had the tools to become a solid prospect.
Six years later, that prospect has reached Detroit in a way that actually lines up with much of the original scouting snapshot.
Cruz is not arriving as a middle-of-the-order bat. He is not being called up because he has forced the issue with loud offensive numbers in 2026. If people are looking only at the current stat line, the concern is understandable. His numbers this season do not jump off the page, especially compared to the progress he showed last year.
But Cruz’s path to Detroit was never just about the bat. It was always going to be about whether the switch-hitting, the patience, the athleticism, the arm and the defensive flexibility could add up to a useful major league role.
The Tigers selected Cruz in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft, making him part of a class that has already produced Spencer Torkelson, Dillon Dingler, Colt Keith and Gage Workman at the major league level. Cruz also carries the family history. His grandfather, José Cruz, was a two-time All-Star and longtime standout with the Houston Astros. His father, José Cruz Jr., played 12 seasons in the majors and won a Gold Glove. Now Trei Cruz has the chance to become the next member of the family to play in the big leagues.
The best version of Cruz showed up in 2025, when he hit .279/.411/.456 with 33 doubles, 13 home runs, 66 RBIs, 95 runs scored and 17 stolen bases between Erie and Toledo, mind you, recovering after Tommy John surgery. That season was the reason the Tigers added him to the 40-man roster. He controlled the strike zone, got on base, showed enough extra-base impact and gave the organization a player who could move around the field. He has come a long way when he was first brought up to Erie,and was viewed as a “hot-dogger” aka just flash and no substance. But he worked hard and was as valuable as a centerfielder when he made the transition in 2024 and was a key part of Erie’s championship run. Our own reports have tracked that same progression.
In Benjamin Kramer’s 2023 prospect report, Cruz was described as a switch-hitter with a patient approach and a willingness to draw walks. The report also noted the defensive shift that had already started, with Cruz moving from shortstop, second base and third base into center field. The grades told the story: 55 run, 55 field and 55 arm. The overall projection was a platoon utility type, someone whose defensive versatility and switch-hitting approach could get him to the major leagues.
That is close to exactly what he is now.
On our TMLR’s 2026 Top 45 prospect list, Cruz is ranked 18th and the write-up pointed out that he had one of the clearer paths to Detroit in that range because of polish and defensive flexibility. The bat was not projected to carry a lineup, but the ability to control the zone and move around the field made the profile work as a utility option.
Cruz can bring value with his glove before the bat catches up. He can play center field. He can cover shortstop. He can move around the infield. He can switch-hit off the bench. He can run. He can enter late in games as a defensive replacement. For a Tigers roster that has dealt with injuries and constant moving parts, that kind of player gives A.J. Hinch more ways to manage a game.
The phrase “utility player” can sound like a limited label, but on the right roster, it has real value. A player who can handle center field and shortstop gives a manager flexibility that most bench players do not. It allows the Tigers to pinch-hit earlier, pinch-run more aggressively or protect a lead defensively without burning through multiple players.That is where Cruz can help right away.
The bat is still the question. His 2026 production has not matched what he did last season, and the major league test will be whether he can make enough quality contact to stay playable. He does not need to hit like an everyday corner bat, but he does need to control the zone, avoid empty at-bats and put enough pressure on pitchers from both sides of the plate.For now, the defensive value is the story.
Cruz was drafted as a switch-hitting infielder with bloodlines, on-base ability and defensive questions. He developed into a player who can handle multiple spots, including center field, while still offering enough patience at the plate to fit a bench role. That is not the same as becoming an impact everyday player, but it is still a major league path.
And for a Tigers team that needs coverage, late-game defense and roster flexibility, Trei Cruz gives them a player who can help in more ways than the stat line suggests.
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Chris Brown