Detroit Tigers prospect Trei Cruz playing in 2024 Caribbean Series before spring training

Trei Cruz, a third-round draft pick in 2020, is a switch-hitting shortstop and center fielder in the minor leagues with the Detroit Tigers. He is also the son of José Cruz Jr. and the grandson of José Cruz Sr., both former MLB players.

The youngest Cruz, a late-blooming prospect who still has a chance to help the Tigers in the future, plays winter ball in Puerto Rico with Leones de Ponce. This offseason, Cruz was invited to represent Puerto Rico in the 2024 Caribbean Series, located in the city of Miami for the third time in its 66th edition.

"This is something I've always wanted to do since I was a kid," Cruz said. "There's been a lot of Cruzes that have played in that Caribbean Series. To be able to represent Puerto Rico is a big honor. It means a lot, man. It's been surreal."

JEFF SEIDEL: Trei Cruz an example of how Tigers prospects are developing while winning

The Caribbean Series, an annual tournament involving teams from Latin America, started Thursday and ends Feb. 9. Puerto Rico — managed by former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina — won its first game over Nicaragua, 5-2, to open the historic tournament.

It's the first Caribbean Series at a Major League Baseball stadium, taking place at the Marlins' LoanDepot Park.

"The Caribbean Series, for me, it was so much fun," said José Cruz Jr., Trei's father who played 12 MLB seasons. "I played in two of them (in 1999 and 2000). I thought the World Baseball Classic (in 2006) was the most fun, then the Caribbean Series probably came in second place. It's some of the most passionate baseball that you'll see."

Hitting for power, playing center field

Trei Cruz, 25, spent last season in Double-A Erie, playing 124 games in the regular season and postseason, before his second year of winter ball in Puerto Rico. He hit .218 but launched a career-high 14 home runs with 81 walks and 131 strikeouts for the SeaWolves, adding 24 doubles, five triples and nine stolen bases.

Erie won the Eastern League championship.

"The biggest change was my right-handed swing," Cruz said. "I hadn't really tapped into any right-handed power before. I hadn't hit any right-handed homers before last season, and then I hit 10 from the right side last season. I knew my swing had power in it, but I didn't know how to use it."

A BIG DEAL: Inside Colt Keith's decision to sign contract with Tigers: 'This is his dream'

Pulling the ball more often, as well as using his legs, helped him create damage. Studying the opposing pitchers and being aware of his strengths helped him understand when to swing for the fences.

At the Double-A level, Cruz hit .189 with five home runs in 395 plate appearances as a left-handed hitter (against right-handed pitchers) and .275 with nine home runs in 143 plate appearances as a right-handed hitter (against left-handed pitchers). That included a game, on April 29, in which Cruz blasted a home run from both sides of the plate. He had a .621 OPS against righties, compared to a .916 OPS against lefties.

Cruz was the leadoff hitter for the SeaWolves.

"I can hit every part of the plate," Cruz said, "but I can't hit them all at the same time. Understanding who you are as hitter, understanding how they're going to pitch you and understanding when to take your chances is huge. That's how you can uptick the power but not sacrifice so much swing and miss."

[ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

In last year's spring training, Cruz was shagging baseballs when High-A West Michigan manager Brayan Peña, now the catching coordinator, pulled him aside. Peña didn't want to offend Cruz, an infielder for his entire career, but he asked him if he ever thought about playing center field.

His father and grandfather played in the outfield in the big leagues.

"I've always played infield," Cruz said. "I've always felt like I could play center field, definitely fast enough and athletic enough to do it, but I never thought of it because I've felt good at shortstop."

Peña saw the potential for a super-utility player, someone who could play shortstop, second base, third base and center field. He thought Cruz would get more opportunities to advance with the Tigers if he learned to play an above-average center while still playing shortstop. The on-field conversation between Peña and Cruz led to a meeting in vice president of player development Ryan Garko's office in Lakeland.

And then Cruz jogged to center in his first spring training game.

In Double-A Erie, Cruz logged 434⅔ innings in center field, 310 innings at shortstop and 179 innings at third base. He played all three positions in the Puerto Rican Winter League, as well.

He credited outfield coordinator Arnie Beyeler and Double-A Erie bench coach Matt Malott for easing his transition into center, where he "feels great" after a full season.

"I feel like I can be a game changer anywhere in the infield and anywhere in the outfield," Cruz said. "It's whatever the team needs. Maybe it's matchup stuff, where being a switch hitter helps because you don't have to worry about the (handedness) matchup as much."

NOTEBOOK: Tigers' Colt Keith all but guaranteed to be 2024 Opening Day second baseman

His father, José Cruz Jr., worked as the Tigers' assistant hitting coach under manager A.J. Hinch for 60 games in the 2021 season before returning to his alma mater, Rice University, to be the head coach. He hit .247 with 204 home runs across 1,388 games in his 12-year MLB career, with nine teams; Trei's grandfather, José Cruz Sr., hit .284 with 165 homers across 2,353 games in his 19-year MLB career, with three teams.

This offseason, Trei worked with his father on getting the most out of his swing mechanics — from both sides of the plate — in hopes of unlocking consistent power.

"Tweaking some of the mechanics, tweaking the mental, getting in that position, understanding how to create more torque," José said. "We worked on that. He looks good. It's just a matter of time. This is his time to go out and do it. He can do everything."

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Series

Trei Cruz took his offseason work to Puerto Rico.

He played in 25 games with Leones de Ponce between the regular season and postseason. Cruz hit .311 with one home run, seven walks and 10 strikeouts across 18 games in the regular season. He had seven extra-base hits.

"Everyone in my family has been playing in Ponce, Puerto Rico, dating back to the 1970s," Cruz said. "For me, I wanted to continue to develop as a player. I wanted to get at-bats and test what I'm working on in the offseason before I go to spring training."

ABOUT THE FAMILY: Tigers prospect Trei Cruz leans on dad, grandpa to add to family's baseball legacy

It wasn't expected, but Cruz received and accepted an invitation Jan. 24 to play for Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series, following in the footsteps of the Cruzes before him.

Cruz is suiting up for Criollos de Caguas — not Leones de Ponce — because Caguas won the Puerto Rican Winter League championship. Jesus Feliciano, who played 54 games for the New York Mets in 2010, is the general manager of Criollos de Caguas.

Feliciano called Cruz to invite him to play in the Caribbean Series.

"I was at a loss for words," Cruz said.

His father, José Cruz Jr., is a Caribbean Series legend among Puerto Ricans. He competed in the 1999 series in Puerto Rico and the 2000 series in the Dominican Republic.

"The one in Puerto Rico was mayhem," José said. "We had to play an extended day, and David Ortiz walked us off (in the bottom of the 12th inning). It was crazy. We went the next year to Dominican Republic and beat the Dominican in extra innings to win it. It was back-to-back like that, really competitive."

DRAFT REPORT: Tigers take Rice SS Trei Cruz in Round 3 of 2020 MLB draft

In 2000, Puerto Rico went undefeated in six games to win the Caribbean Series; Cruz secured MVP of the series by hitting .385 with five doubles and 10 RBIs.

Puerto Rico didn't win another Caribbean Series until back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. (The Dominican Republic leads all teams with 22 championships, followed by 16 for Puerto Rico, nine for Mexico, eight for Cuba and seven for Venezuela.)

"I couldn't be more honored to represent the Cruz name again for Team Puerto Rico," Trei said. "Hopefully, we can win this thing. It would be awesome."

After the Caribbean Series, Cruz will report to Lakeland, Florida, for spring training with the Tigers. He has value for many reasons, including his versatility at key positions on defense, switch-hit ability with developing power on offense, speed capable of double-digit steals on the bases and rich baseball bloodlines.

Cruz needs experience in Triple-A Toledo, but he is already eyeing another big-league park.

"I want to continue to work on hitting for more power," Cruz said. "I think I can hit for more power and have a higher on-base percentage. I'll continue to work on being that super utility and embracing that role. At the end of the day, my only goal is to get to Detroit this year, be an impact player and help in a playoff run. That's always been a goal of mine."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers prospect Trei Cruz playing in 2024 Caribbean Series