Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Leo De Vries commanded much of the Padres’ bonus pool when he signed for $4.2 million in 2024. So in order to bring in Cruz from his native Mexico, San Diego traded 2023 12th-rounder Blake Dickerson to the Tigers for international signing money and used it to bring in Cruz for $750,000. He made only two abbreviated starts in the Arizona Complex League in that signing year and split 14 starts between the ACL and Single-A Lake Elsinore in 2025 before needing to undergo internal brace surgery on his right UCL. He had a 7.58 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 38 innings before the injury.

Before the injury, Cruz was very much a project but a promising one, and that remains as he works his way toward a return. His fastball sat in the mid-90s, touching a little above that, with some running shape to it. Batters sized it up fairly well, even at Single-A, and it didn’t generate a ton of swing-and-miss. The opposite was true for his gyro slider that looks like it could drop off a table. Batters from both sides bit often against the breaking ball, often expanding the zone with empty swings leading to a 58 percent whiff rate. Cruz’s changeup also shows promise with good fade running away from lefties.

Cruz keeps it free and easy with his movements on the mound, and his athleticism helps him command the ball well. He still walked about one-tenth of his batters faced in 2025, but there’s no mechanical reason he can’t pump strikes more often as his pro sample expands. How the stuff returns post-surgery remains up in the air, but considering Cruz won’t turn 20 until December 2026, he still has a long runway to become a starting option for San Diego.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

The Padres made the big splash of the 2024 international class when they signed Leodalis De Vries for $4.2 million. That didn’t give them much to work with in their pool, so they traded 2023 12th-rounder Blake Dickerson to the Tigers for more international signing money and signed Cruz for $750,000 days later. A standout at the U18 World Cup for Mexico, Cruz stayed on the domestic side and made two abbreviated starts in the Arizona Complex League after signing.

There’s a ton to dream on with the 6-foot-1 right-hander. He previously sat in the upper 80s during his international experience but was averaging around 94 mph with his fastball and touching 97 after joining the San Diego ranks. The pitch came with good armside run too, and Padres officials believed it could be a ground-ball machine when hitters make contact. His low-80s changeup fades well off that fastball, generating good chase and keeping left-handed hitters at bay. Cruz’s gyro slider has also improved, moving into the low 80s with decent spin.

Cruz has an ease about his work on the mound, and he has the athleticism to pump strikes, even with the improved stuff. While other teenagers struggle to find the zone with consistency, his command should help find his footing with more pro experience. Cruz reached Single-A in 2025 during his age-18 season but needed to undergo UCL surgery (internal brace, not Tommy John) in August that should knock him out for much of '26.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

The 2024 international class wasn’t exactly loaded with arms as only two pitchers ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 prospects in the group. But the Padres believe they’ve found a promising one in Cruz, who signed with the club for $750,000 on Feb. 21 -- days after the organization traded 2023 12th-rounder Blake Dickerson to the Tigers for international signing money. The Mexico native most notably pitched twice in the U-18 World Cup in September 2023, including a four-inning outing in a 2-1 win loss to eventual third-place nation South Korea when he was still 16 years old.

The 6-foot-1 right-hander was typically in the upper-80s during his World Cup experience but has averaged around 94 mph in front of Padres evaluators since signing. The heater comes with heavy sink and could be a real wormkiller on the pro side. His low-80s changeup similarly shows promising armside fade that could turn it into a weapon against lefties, and similarly aged hitters seemed to be willing to chase it in the international tournament. He actually threw his upper-70s slider even more in the World Cup, and it has more drop than sweep, though hitters found it easier to lay off.

The standout quality of Cruz’s current game is the ease with which he throws the ball. Listed at 170 pounds right now, he can look rail thin on the mound, but his athleticism and fluidity allow him to throw constant strikes. That’s all the more notable considering many teen arms struggle to find the zone so early in their development. The Padres believe Cruz can be advanced enough to become a prominent pitcher in their system in time.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/13/2026	Lake Elsinore Storm placed RHP Humberto Cruz on the restricted list.
	03/05/2026	RHP Humberto Cruz assigned to San Diego Padres Prospects.
	09/22/2025	Lake Elsinore Storm activated RHP Humberto Cruz from the 7-day injured list.
	08/19/2025	Lake Elsinore Storm placed RHP Humberto Cruz on the 7-day injured list.
	07/01/2025	RHP Humberto Cruz assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres.
	07/19/2024	RHP Humberto Cruz assigned to ACL Padres.
	02/21/2024	RHP Humberto Cruz roster status changed by DSL Padres Gold.
	02/21/2024	San Diego Padres signed free agent RHP Humberto Cruz to a minor league contract.
	02/21/2024	RHP Humberto Cruz assigned to DSL Padres Gold.
	06/06/2023	Diablos Rojos del Mexico placed Humberto Cruz on the reserve list.
	06/06/2023	Diablos Rojos del Mexico placed Humberto Cruz on the reserve list.
	06/03/2023	Humberto Cruz assigned to Diablos Rojos del Mexico.