The Padres lost one of their top pitching prospects Saturday when Humberto Cruz self-deported to Mexico following a guilty plea on federal charges related to human smuggling.
Cruz, 19, ranked fifth on MLB Pipeline’s prospect list for San Diego’s system. He’s now facing a 10-year work visa revocation that effectively ends his MLB dreams for the foreseeable future.
The right-hander pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of accessory after the fact to improper entry. It’s a plea that kept him out of prison but likely keeps him out of professional baseball for years.
What happened in Arizona
Border Patrol arrested Cruz near Lukeville, Arizona on Oct. 28. According to The Athletic, agents found Cruz driving a brown 2020 BMW SUV with Mexican plates, accompanied by two undocumented immigrants who weren’t in his car an hour earlier.
After waiving his Miranda rights, Cruz told agents he’d responded to an ad seeking drivers for “pickup people for easy money.” He was paid $1,000 per person he transported, with an unknown contact dropping pins to show pickup locations.
Cruz said he was headed to Tucson, then Phoenix. The complaint states he knew his passengers were in the country illegally.
The New York Post reported that Cruz’s charge stemmed from accepting money to help transport undocumented immigrants. Cruz entered the U.S. on a legally-obtained visa.
The fallout for San Diego
The Padres placed Cruz on the restricted list March 13, suspending his salary and barring him from team facilities. He remains there as of May 8.
“To my teammates, the organization, our fans, and my family, I want to express my sincere regret for a recent lapse in judgment that has caused disappointment to many people I deeply respect,” Cruz said in a statement released through San Diego.
“I understand that my actions have fallen short of the standards expected of me as a professional and as a representative of this organization. I take responsibility for my conduct and recognize the impact it has had on my teammates, the club, and those who support us.”
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres understand Cruz’s conviction results in a 10-year work visa revocation. That timeline could shorten if he reapplies after five years of good behavior.
What the Padres are losing
Cruz was considered a mid-rotation talent by scouts, ranking as San Diego’s fifth-best prospect. At 19, he had years of development ahead of him in what’s been a rebuilding farm system for the Padres.
It’s a significant loss for an organization that’s been working to restock it’s prospect pipeline. Cruz represented the kind of young pitching talent that could’ve impacted San Diego’s rotation in a few years.
Now that’s off the table entirely. The plea deal kept Cruz out of prison, but it’s effectively ended his professional baseball career for at least the next decade.
