Several MLB teams interested in Cuban LHP Naykel Cruz (Report + Video)

Cruz, 25, is awaiting free agency.

Cuban left-hander pitcher Naykel Cruz will participate in a showcase on November 7 at Josue Herrera’s complex, Toro de Guerra, Dominican Republic. Cruz will be the main attraction at the event organized by the Wellington Herrera Baseball Academy.

Given the current market context with the offseason underway, Cruz is a pitcher with valuable tools to impact an MLB system.

In April 2024, he arrived in the Dominican Republic with the goal of entering the MLB system and signing with a Major League organization. Since then, he has focused his training on building strength and refining his pitches.

Based on my evaluations of players and the market, I see Cruz as a potential value option in the coming free-agent months. He is an experienced pitcher with a strong resume and, most importantly, has demonstrated the ability to improve his skills.

His fastball velocity has increased from the 90-92 MPH he showed years ago in Cuba and in international events to 94-95 MPH, complemented by an elite curveball in both spin rate and vertical movement. He can also control a sinker and a changeup with an exit angle that many scouts find unique. One potential comparison for Cruz could be the Cuban lefty Néstor Cortés.