Fernando Cruz #63

Was selected by the Royals as a shortstop in the sixth round of the June 2007 draft. Was signed by Johnny Ramos...Was signed by the Reds to a Minor League contract on Jan. 27, 2022.

2023

Went 0-1, 3.00 in two starts and 1-1, 5.00 in 56 relief appearances...Made his spot starts in an 11-inning, 8-7 win on 8/26 at Ari (1.1ip, 4k) and a 7-0 loss on 9/19 vs Min (1.2ip, 4k)…Was one of three Reds relievers to make at least one spot start (Derek Law 3 times, Tejay Antone)…In his final appearance of the season, a 15-6 loss on 9/30 at StL in Game 161, allowed a career-high five runs in 1.0 inning...his ERA jumped from 4.29 to 4.91...entered that game in relief of starter RHP Connor Phillips, who threw 12 pitches without a strike...Posted a 2.86 ERA (.146baa) in the 41 games prior to that final outing (6/12-9/26), including career-high scoreless streaks of seven games and 8.2 innings from 8/6-8/23...both scoreless streaks were snapped by an unearned run that scored on a passed ball in the first inning of his spot start on 8/26 at Ari...Including his two starts threw more than 1.0 inning 19 times, including four of his last six appearances and a career-high 2.0 innings six times...Nine times threw on two consecutive days, most recently on 9/22 & 9/23 vs Pit, and on 8/23 at LAA pitched in both games of the doubleheader...From 7/16-7/18 pitched on three consecutive days for the only time in his career...was one of only five Reds pitchers to throw three straight days (Daniel Duarte twice, Lucas Sims twice, Ian Gibaut, Alex Young). Retired the first batter in 41 of his 56 relief appearances...inherited 33 base runners, 10 scored...from 4/14-6/24 stranded 13 consecutive inherited runners, including the bases loaded in the 10th inning on 6/2 vs Mil...inherited the bases loaded a second time, on 9/30 at StL, and allowed back-to-back two-run doubles...Twice was charged with pitch timer violations (4/11 at Atl, Ozzie Albies & 8/1 at Chc, Cody Bellinger)…In the winning sweep on 8/23 at LAA became the first Reds player to pitch in both games of a doubleheader since RHP Matt Bowman did it on 5/27/2019 vs Pit...in the two games retired six of his seven batters faced (2ip, 0h, 0r, 1bb, 2k)…From 4/30-5/25 was on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain...Went on the COVID-19 IL between games of the doubleheader on 9/1 vs Cubs...Was on the COVID-19 IL the same time as starters RHP Hunter Greene, RHP Ben Lively and LHP Brandon Williamson...Pitched for Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic...pitched in the second inning of PR's 9-6 loss vs Venezuela in Miami Pool D (1ip, 2h, 1er, 0bb, 1k, Salvador Perez 3-run HR, 19 pitches)…started the 5-2 win vs Dominican Republic that took Puerto Rico to the quarterfinal round (1.2ip, 1h, 0r, 2bb, 2k, 28 pitches)…threw a scoreless sixth inning in the 5-4 quarterfinal loss to Mexico (1h, 0bb, 2k, 13 pitches, 11 strikes)…Began the season rated No. 33 on Baseball America's Reds Top 40 Prospects list...Following the season made three appearances for Cangrejeros de Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League (0-0, 1.93, 4.2ip, 3h, 1er, 2bb, 5k).

2022

Received the Mary E. Barney Award as Class AAA Louisville's Most Valuable Player...Was promoted to the Reds on 9/1, when rosters expanded, and in his Major League debut posted a 1.23 ERA in two starts and 12 relief appearances...Prior to the 2022 season, last pitched for a traditional MLB-affiliated organization in 2015...In the 3-2 win on 9/2 vs COL made his Major League debut with a perfect sixth inning (Brendan Rodgers K, Charlie Blackmon F7, C.J. Cron K)...At 32 years, 158 days old was the oldest Reds player to make his Major League debut since LHP/OF Pat Scantlebury pitched vs StL on 4/19/56 at age 38 years, 160 days...Was the 62nd player (extending the 2022 club record), 35th pitcher (tying the 2021 club record) and, in his sixth appearance, the 17th starter (tying the 2003 record) to appear in a game for the Reds in 2022...Threw 1.2 hitless innings in each of his two starts as an "opener," a 1-0 loss on 9/13/g2 vs Pit and a 6-5 loss 9/16 at StL...in each start was followed by LHP Reiver Sanmartin...entered the 2022 season with five professional starts, all in 2015...Made his first Major League start in the night game of a doubleheader on 9/13 vs Pit...retired all five batters... became the 17th pitcher to start a game for the Reds, tying their 2003 single-season record...In his next appearance, started the 6-5 loss on 9/16 at STL...retired his first five batters until he hit Albert Pujols with a pitch, snapping at 18 his streak of consecutive batters retired over 5 appearances dating back to 9/6...On 9/16 and 9/17/g2 at STL became the second Reds pitcher in 2022 to start one day and then pitch in relief the next day (Dauri Moreta, 5/7 & 5/8 vs Pit)...prior to the 2022 season, Tim Birtsas in 1989 was the last Reds pitcher to do so...Retired the first batter in eight of his 12 relief appearances...stranded six of 11 inherited runners, including the bases loaded on 9/10 at MIL...Twice pitched on consecutive days (9/10 & 9/11 at Mil, 9/16 & 9/17/g2 at StL)...Three times threw more than 1.0 inning in relief, including a season-high 1.2 innings out of the bullpen on 10/2 at Cubs...On 1/27/22 was signed by the Reds to a minor league contract...Spent the minor league season at Louisville, where he converted 23 saves in 31 chances (51g, 1.04whip, .198baa)...Led all Class AAA pitchers with 23 saves...when promoted on 9/1, was tied for the International League lead with 51 appearances and ranked second in the IL with 56.0 relief innings pitched...In his last 27 appearances for the Bats beginning 6/19 posted a 1.13 ERA and 0.84 WHIP (32ip, 9bb, 40k, .161baa) while stranding all 16 inherited runners...Was the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August (13g, 1-0-6, 2.03, 13.1ip, 7h, 4bb, 21k, 0.83whip, .156baa)...Following the season played for Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League (7g, 1-0, 0.00, 2sv, 6.2ip, 1h, 0bb, 9k).