The Cleveland Guardians have always kept an eye out for talent in South America and the Caribbean. Their scouts there have done a wonderful job of finding and luring talent to Ohio.
That’s not going to change any time soon. If anything, they might double down on their efforts to unearth some of the most talented players out there.
That might be the case with John Cruz. According to a report by Guardians Prospective on X, the Guardians are currently leading the race to sign the shortstop prospect. A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, he’s currently training with Rivas Y Ventura Academy.
However, he won’t be eligible to sign his deal with the team until the 1/15/27 International Signing Day.
“Cleveland Guardians are favorites to sign (SS) prospect John Cruz out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Cruz trains with Rivas Y Ventura Academy. He is not eligible to sign until the 1/15/27 International signing day,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Of course, that means that a lot can still go sideways in these negotiations. Other teams could swoop in, he could get hurt, or he might not have the right work ethic to keep impressing scouts.
That being said, the Guardians have one of the best farm systems in the game, not to mention a knack for developing middle infielders. As such, it’s hard to imagine a better landing spot for a young player like Cruz. He still has plenty of work to do, and even in the best possible scenario, it might be years before we hear his name on the team’s radar for a call-up.
Still, everybody has to start somewhere, and hopefully, this will be the beginning of a long and successful career.
NEXT: Guardians Have 3 Draft Picks Inside The Top 60 In 2026 Draft
