Latin baseball celebrated a historic moment this weekend. Trei Cruz debuted in the Major Leagues with the Detroit Tigers and became the third member of his family to reach the MLB, an achievement that places the Cruzes in a privileged place in sports history.
With his debut in the majors, Trei joins his father, José “Cheíto” Cruz Jr., and his grandfather, José Cruz Sr., forming the first Latino family to have three generations of players in the Major Leagues. The feat had only been previously achieved by four American families, which increases the historical dimension of the event.
Trei’s call came on June 19, when the Tigers promoted him from Triple-A Toledo. The 27-year-old player was immediately included in the Detroit team’s lineup, thus fulfilling a dream that seemed written in his family’s DNA.
The Cruz history in professional baseball began with José Cruz Sr., one of the great Puerto Rican legends of the Major Leagues. During 19 seasons he accumulated 2,251 hits and left an indelible mark with the Houston Astros, an organization that retired his number 25 in recognition of his legacy.
The second generation was represented by José Cruz Jr., known as “Cheíto”, who played 12 seasons in the MLB between 1997 and 2008. The outfielder was selected with the third overall pick in the 1995 Draft and defended the colors of teams such as the Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros, in addition to winning a Gold Glove in 2003.
Now it is the turn of Trei Cruz, who also followed in the family footsteps by playing college baseball at Rice University before being selected by the Detroit Tigers in the third round of the 2020 Draft. Capable of playing shortstop, center field and third base, the Puerto Rican-Canadian worked for six seasons in the minor leagues before finally receiving the opportunity to debut in the majors.
Beyond the statistics, Trei’s rise represents the continuity of a baseball dynasty that has transcended generations. His arrival to the MLB confirms the impact that the Cruz family has had on the development of Latin and Puerto Rican baseball for more than five decades.
With this historic debut, the Cruzes not only celebrate a family achievement, but also establish a mark that will hardly be forgotten in the Major Leagues: three consecutive generations of a Latin family sharing a place in the history of the best baseball in the world.
