Yovanny Cruz

Yovanny Cruz Nuñez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

• Debut May 20, 2026

• Born August 23, 1999 in San Francisco de Macoris, Duarte D.R.

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Biographical Information

Pitcher Yovanny Cruz was signed to his first professional contract by the Chicago Cubs on August 29, 2016. It would take him almost a decade to make his major league debut, that coming on May 20, 2026, by which time he was a member of the New York Yankees. In the meantime, he pitched in the Cubs system from 2017 to 2023, missing the 2020 season when the minor leagues were shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Injuries had badly delayed his progress in the Cubs system, and he had yet to pitch above High-A when he signed with the San Diego Padres as free agent before the 2024 season. He spent that season in AA with the San Antonio Missions of the Texas League, going 1-2, 4.55 in 23 games as a reliever. In 2025, he signed with the Boston Red Sox as a minor league free agent and spent another full season in AA, this time with the Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League. He went 2-4, 3.03 with 6 saves in 34 games.

The Yankees were the next team to give him a look as a minor league free agent and he pitched in AAA for the first time when he started 2026 with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. After 15 games, he was 5-1, 3.00 with a save, making him a good candidate for a call-up when Max Fried went on the injured list on May 18th. In his debut, he pitched two hitless and scoreless innings of relief in a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, striking out three batters along the way. He pitched again the next day, also against Toronto, giving up a it batsman in a third of an inning, before returning to the minors on May 22nd as Gerrit Cole was activated to make his season debut.

Related Sites

• Yovanny Cruz on mlb.com