He is an assistant hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB) and previously played professionally in South Korea and Mexico.

Cruz was drafted straight out of high school in 1991 by the California Angels, but did not sign; instead, choosing to play baseball for Arizona State University.

Cruz spent most of 1996 and 1997 in the Giants minor league system and after playing for the Giants Triple-A affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies, for most of the 1998 season, was traded to the Cleveland Indians on July 23, 1998, along with Steve Reed, for Shawon Dunston, José Mesa, and Alvin Morman.

Cruz played 55 games for the Mets Triple-A affiliate, the Norfolk Tides, the rest of the year and was granted free agency at the end of the season.

After his release from the Lions, Cruz signed to play for the Potros de Tijuana of the Mexican Baseball League for the 2008 season.

[3] On November 22, 2011, Cruz was promoted to Hitting Coach of the Visalia Rawhide, the Diamondbacks Advanced Class A team.