Chicago Cubs Prospect Profile: Fernando Cruz |
As things currently stand, the Chicago Cubs farm system is loaded and remains one of the best in baseball. With seven or eight top 100 guys, depending on your outlook, the Cubs system has the assets to help not only them but also other teams.
Considering all of the Winter Meeting trade chatter, it does appear that the Cubs prospects are the center of attention and that teams are looking to see what they can get. Although the names on the Cubs' top 30 list remain the same, things could soon look drastically different inside the organization. Today, we creep inside the top 10, where you will find the No. 9 prospect, SS Fernando Cruz. The prize of the Cubs 2024 International Free agent Class, Cruz is still just 18 years old and has as much upside as anyone in the entire system. Cruz is the cousin of former Chicago Cub Starlin Castro, so baseball has been in his blood for as long as he can remember. Castro signed for 50,000 back in 2006 and made four all-star teams during his tenure, as he was one of the better players for quite some time. Cruz's price tag was far more lucrative as the Cubs landed him for four million, which was the second largest IFA contract in team history, only behind Jorge Soler. Over the past several years, the Cubs have done a great job landing IFA SS talent, as the names Cristian Hernandez and Derniche Valdez come to mind. However, Cruz is far more advanced than both at this stage, which is a big reason why he was listed as the fourth-best IFA prospect in his class. Unlike most International players, who take a little while to get their feet wet, Cruz jumped right into action this summer and spent the season in the Cubs Dominican Summer League organization. During that time, he logged 25 games but was expected to play more. Consistent development struggles played a role in his lack of elite playing time, as Cruz managed to hit just .215 this season but was hitting north of .300 the final two weeks. As expected for such a young player with a small frame, Cruz is years away from tapping into his full potential, but he still managed to club two homers this past summer and steal 11 bases. Given his strong hands and forearms, there is little doubt that his power will come; it's just a matter of when it comes and how much he will have when it gets here. Although he is listed at just 155 pounds, Cruz is far bigger than that and is closer to 180 pounds after putting in time in the weight room. The good news is there is more room to add muscle mass, as going the extra mile to improve isn't an issue for him. Even if it takes him four to five years to develop, the sky is the limit for him offensively. He can quickly become a .290-plus hitter with the ability to deliver 25-30 homers consistently. Even with his swing being a bit longer than the Cubs would like at this stage in his career, Cruz does a nice job of barrelling up the baseball when he makes contact, and you can see how the ball jumps off his bat already. Listed as a shortstop, Cruz is athletic enough to remain at that position as his speed not only makes him a problem on the bases but allows him to get to some of the more challenging grounders. Throw in quick reaction times to what is going on, mixed with a strong and accurate throwing arm, and you will have the tools you need in a young shortstop. The only thing slowing him down at this point in his path to the bigs is that the Cubs have plenty of other players to sort through. Fortunately, they have plenty of time to make a decision with him, as he is at least four years away from being taken seriously within the organization.
