Tony Cruz, Catcher

Date of Birth: 8/18/1986
Birthplace: Palm Beach, Florida
College: Okaloosa-Walton College

Tony Cruz, catcher, was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2007. He played in the Cardinals' minor league system from 2007 through part of 2011.

Cruz first joined the Cardinals in 2011, playing in 38 games and batting .262 during that time. From 2012 through 2014, he was a backup catcher for the Cardinals, playing in 51 games in 2012 and 2013 and 50 games in 2014. He batted .254 in 2012, .203 in 2013, and .200 in 2014.

Cruz played in 69 games with the Cardinals in 2015. He finished the season with 29 hits and a .204 batting average. As a catcher in 51 games, he made 16 assists, 251 putouts, and no errors. He caught players trying to steal 15.0% of the time. In five at-bats in 2 postseason games, he batted .200 with 1 double and 1 RBI.

Cruz was traded to the Kansas City Royals on December 2, 2015. He spent most of the 2016 season in the minors, playing in just four games with the Royals. The Royals designated him for assignment on November 18, 2016, and released him on November 23rd.

Cruz signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres on February 7, 2017. He spent the 2017 season in the minors.

Cruz elected free agency on November 6, 2017. He signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds on December 19, 2017.

The Reds released Cruz on June 21, 2018, after playing 9 games in the majors and 18 games in the minors. He hasn't played professional baseball since 2018.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Tony Cruz
ESPN - Tony Cruz