Follow the Prospects: Ronny Cruz, SS

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Seems the hype about Cruz is noticeable. Brendan Gawlowksi's FG prospect chat today:

3:03    
Ronny Cruz: Is my hype getting out of control?

3:03    
Brendan Gawlowski: Based on the volume of chat questions, yes.

3:04    
Brendan Gawlowski: Exciting player with some hit risk. Eric will have Nats out this week, I would check with him on his chat Friday if you still have further questions

Cruz will not be a 50. No new Nats 50s in the upcoming report.

[zimm_da_kid]

Seems the hype about Cruz is noticeable. Brendan Gawlowksi's FG prospect chat today:

Cruz will not be a 50. No new Nats 50s in the upcoming report.

fangraphs always seems to like high floors. Given Cruz's lack of track record or pure hitting, it makes sense they'd think that way. BBA seems ready to put him in the top 100

[JCA-CrystalCity]

My guess is he'll be a 45 or 45+. It's just too short of a track record.

[imref]

another HR on a 3-5 night.

[zimm_da_kid]

another HR on a 3-5 night.

He’s a stud.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He's becoming a meme in FG chats with all the questions

[imref]

OPS_BASEBALL:

Ronny Cruz has had an unbelievable start to his 2026 season. He's the only qualified player in the minors with 10+ SB, an OPS over 1.000, & a SLG% over .600.

Among the 6 players with 10+ SB & a wRC+ over 170, he's the only one under 20 years old.

[imref]

that swing

https://x.com/Nats_PlayerDev/status/2047680824405872918?s=20

Looks like a RH Lile

[zimm_da_kid]

Fangraphs now had him number 4 on our system and in the top 100

[imref]

Guess who just hit another dinger.

[zimm_da_kid]

This guy is a stud. If he can just bat .260 he’s a 30-30 third baseman. He’ll be in aa by the all star break. If he performs at 80% of this level there then he’s a top 30 prospect end of season

[Slateman]

What's interesting is he was projected to be a glove first shortstop.

22% K rate in Single A is a bit concerning. Have to wonder how that develops in Double A. But I love the idea of him getting there by mid-July.

[zimm_da_kid]

3-5 with a triple and a steal today

[JCA-CrystalCity]

3-5 with a triple and a steal today

So, while he's in Wilmington, has he parted the Delaware River to allow fans in New Jersey to walk to the game? Does he just walk on the water to get to the Applebee's just over the bridge for a post-game meal? Or does he not mess with that stuff and simply do his strength training by stopping locomotives at the Amtrak station?

[Smithian]

1-4 last night with 3 Ks

Per Slate's earlier point, the strikeout rate is a yellow flag right now. I wonder if the power surge has him swinging at everything. They don't be able to keep him him below AA if this hot streak stretches from weeks into months, but I sort of expect he is overdue a cold stretch unless we somehow landed on a power hitting freak who will be a top 15-20 prospect in baseball at midseason re-rankings.

[Slateman]

1-4 last night with 3 Ks

Per Slate's earlier point, the strikeout rate is a yellow flag right now. I wonder if the power surge has him swinging at everything. They don't be able to keep him him below AA if this hot streak stretches from weeks into months, but I sort of expect he is overdue a cold stretch unless we somehow landed on a power hitting freak who will be a top 15-20 prospect in baseball at midseason re-rankings.

This is the time to develop an approach

[nobleisthyname]

Ranked the 4th best team prospect by FanGraphs.

Hit

|

Raw Power

|

Game Power

|

Run

|

Fielding

|

Throw

|

FV

20/40

|

50/60

|

25/60

|

50/50

|

35/60

|

55

|

50

Cruz was born in the D.R. but went to high school in South Florida and showed impressive raw power at the 2024 Draft Combine (though he was one of the event’s slower runners). The Cubs signed him in the third round for $620,000 (the slot value of the pick was $826,000), which was enough for him to forgo his commitment to Miami. He began 2025 as part of the Cubs’ extended spring training group and spent the summer in the ACL, where he slashed .270/.314/.431 with 18 extra-base hits in 48 games. He was traded to the Nats as part of the 2025 deadline deal for Michael Soroka and then was a bit of a black box (the complex schedules end before the deadline and Washington chose not to promote him to Fredericksburg after) until the start of 2026, when Cruz hit so well during his first few weeks of full-season ball that he was quickly promoted to Wilmington.

Cruz has already begun to get stronger and develop more power, and he has done so faster than I would have guessed considering how wiry and skinny he looked at the Combine. His under-the-hood TrackMan data corroborates this, as his 2025 peak exit velocities (110 mph max, 105.5 EV90) and hard-hit rate (43%) were all in the ballpark of the major league average already, and he isn’t done growing. He generates this power via electric lower-body athleticism throughout his swing, and he has enough strength in his hands to do damage even when his elaborate cut isn’t well-timed. There’s real juice here already, and there will probably be more at peak.

We didn’t know a ton about Cruz’s contact ability upon his entry to pro ball because he wasn’t a showcase fixture in high school. What we’ve learned since is that he appears to be a flawed hitter who is talented enough to thrive anyway. His big leg kick and pull-oriented style leave him vulnerable to many sliders, but he’s excellent (and very dangerous) covering the down-and-in portion of the strike zone, and shows some ability to get extended and cover up-and-away fastballs with oppo doubles power. This is a dangerous young hitter with big bat speed, and enough feel to hit to weaponize it even though he is probably going to strike out a good bit.

On defense, Cruz bends well and has very soft hands. He makes crisp throws with the flick of his wrist, but his max-effort arm strength is closer to average. It isn’t out of the question that he stays at shortstop, but it’s far more likely that he has to move off of it, and third base is where his skills would shine most. Cruz is shaping up to be a lower calorie Junior Caminero, where the bat speed and weaponized power are enough to really value him as a prospect even though he still has some hit tool risk due to breaking ball identification issues. He moves into the Top 100 with this update.

[nobleisthyname]

Age: 19
Team rank: 25
Current level: A+

April recap (2 levels)

Games played at position
SS: 10
3B: 9

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

107

|

.352

|

.449

|

.637

|

6

|

17

|

23.4%

|

10.3%

|

.286

|

1.086

|

185

[welch]

Move him to Harrisburg in two weeks and move Seaver King to Rochester.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Move him to Harrisburg in two weeks and move Seaver King to Rochester.

It's probably too soon, but maybe Fitz-Gerald could be bumped up. They are both going bonkers in Wilmington.

Fitz actually has fewer innings at SS this year. I think the two probably need to be split between AA and A+ to get playing time. There's also Angel Feliz, who is off to a rough start but is still high level.

[imref]

Left early after getting hit in the face by the catchers throw in an attempt to pick him off at first.

[imref]

TalkNats says Cruz is ok after getting hit in the mouth by the throw to first yesterday.

[Natsinpwc]

Ronny Cruz has vaulted up to the MLB top 100 list. Last I saw he was number 22 on the Nats list.  I want some of whatever he is talking. 

Seriously can anyone explain this and how he progressed. We now have three SS in the MLB top 100.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Ronny Cruz has vaulted up to the MLB top 100 list. Last I saw he was number 22 on the Nats list.  I want some of whatever he is talking. 

Seriously can anyone explain this and how he progressed. We now have three SS in the MLB top 100.

Management loved the guy  this spring and tagged him as the biggest surprise

[Natsinpwc]

Management loved the guy  this spring and tagged him as the biggest surprise

Sure but the folks at MLB who do these ratings must agree.