The career of the Mexican pitcher Humberto Cruz suffered a major setback after the San Diego Padres prospect lost his ten-year work visa after plead guilty to a federal misdemeanor related to the transportation of undocumented immigrants within the United States.
The 19-year-old pitcher, considered the organization’s fifth best prospect according to MLB.com, accepted his responsibility in November 2025 as part of a court agreement that allowed a more serious charge initially filed by federal prosecutors in Arizona to be dismissed, reported Univision.
According to court documents, Cruz was arrested on October 28, 2025 near Lukeville, Arizonawhile recovering from elbow surgery at the Padres’ spring training complex in Peoria.
The 19-year-old Mexican pitcher, Humberto Cruz, #6 prospect of the San Diego Padres, had his MLB career over without having started it.
He pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking illegal immigrants.
He lost his work visa and self-deported. pic.twitter.com/eN0mH1dLpQ
— Beisbol Events ⚾️ (@beisboltimes) Would per chance 9, 2026
The investigation began when Border Patrol agents They observed a 2020 model BMW SUV, with Mexican license plates, traveling south on State Route 85 and later returning north with two passengers on board.
After stopping the vehicle, the agents found two Mexican citizens without immigration documents. One of them had been deported just four days earlier, according to the complaint filed in federal court.
The document also notes that Cruz waived his Miranda rights and acknowledged responding to an ad posted on social media that offered “easy money.” According to the indictment, the player expected to receive a thousand dollars for each person transported.
“When asked why he decided to transport illegal immigrants, he stated that he needed the extra money because he does not work in the afternoons,” the court file states.
Parents confirm loss of work visa
The federal authorities They initially accused the player of transporting immigrants for profit, considered a serious crime, in addition to a minor charge of complicity in the illegal entry of people into the country.
Ultimately, Cruz pleaded guilty only to the misdemeanor and received a 30-day jail sentence, although he got credit for the time he had already spent in custody.
The plea agreement signed by the pitcher also established that, as he was a Mexican citizen without permanent residence in the United States, his deportation was “a virtual certainty.”
After the judicial process, Cruz voluntarily returned to Mexico. The San Diego Padres placed him on the minor league restricted list on March 13, 2026.
The organization confirmed to the newspaper San Diego Union-Tribune that the ballplayer lost his work visa for a decade. However, the club indicated that the pitcher could request restitution after five years if he can demonstrate good behavior.
Humberto Cruz had signed with the Padres in February 2024 after receiving a bonus of $750,000. The right-hander, originally from Monterrey and trained in the Red Devils structure, was already ruled out for the 2026 season due to the elbow surgery he underwent in August 2025.
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