Three decades since his last game, he remains one of the franchise’s most beloved players.Trei’s dad, Jose Cruz, Jr., played 12 seasons in the big leagues, which allowed Trei the opportunity to grow up around Major Leaguers and to feel at home with them.And: Jose Jr.’s brother, Enrique, played on national championship teams at Rice University and Houston Bellaire High School and spent five seasons in the Minors before joining the Astros as a corporate sales manager.And: Antonio Cruz, Trei’s younger brother, is a sophomore on the Rice baseball team.So when Trei Cruz tells his family he intends to be the best baseball player in his family, that sets the bar high.Trei is playful about this, saying, “I tell ‘em all the time. I was very excited. Janish pulled him aside one day to deliver some unvarnished truth.“Your biggest enemy is yourself,” Janish told him. An outfielder for most of his youth, he transitioned to shortstop for his freshman season at Episcopal. He hit another one there six weeks later off Dan Miceli, and another there the following September, completing a late-season tear after hisJose Cruz Jr. hit his second and third Major League home runs on a breezy Friday night at Tiger Stadium, both deep to right-center off Omar Olivares.
“Go for it,” he tells him. You say, `Let’s go to work,’ and he’s ready. “I’m ready to start my journey to the big leagues.” He's the one who started it all.” Trei entered that same year with enormous expectations. Wrapping up his career with 49 ABs, a double, and more walks than strikeouts (11-9), he … I love the guys on my team. He starred for the Owls before the Mariners selected him with the third overall pick of the 1995 draft.José Enrique, who was drafted by the Cubs in the 49th round of the 2000 draft, also delayed the start of his pro career to attend Rice University. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. The same day Trei was named to the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America team the Astros drafted his brother Antonio, who still plans to join him at Rice next season.The Astros might have another crack at drafting José Cruz’s grandsons later out of Rice. He walked 18 times and struck out 17. There were a lot of things I wanted to accomplish,” Trei said. That’s the one thing about Trei -- outside of the physical, on-field baseball stuff -- that I think is going to give him the edge to have the ability to make it.”The confidence masked some simmering insecurity.

Pressure's a privilege. He played second base as a college freshman before going back to shortstop as a sophomore and junior. Now a lefty, Trei took his hacks. I grew up with that whole thing, and I never competed with my dad. He says you have to have a will to beat the other guy, a battle between you and pitcher.“My dad helps more on the mechanical and technical side.

My father has been a part of my boys’ development the entire time.“He is their biggest fans! “Have yourself a day Trei Cruz! Add 15 or 20 pounds, and Janish wonders if Trei might morph into a third baseman. That would be the ultimate dream for their grandfather and grandmother, who rejoiced when Cheito finally joined the Astros at the end of his 12-year playing career in 2008.“Being part of the Astros is something that is very special to us,” said José Cruz, who began his career with the Cardinals before truly starring with the Astros.
He hit another one there six weeks later off Dan Miceli, and another there the following September, completing a late-season tear after his son Trei was born.“My first game in big leagues was against Detroit,” Cruz said, “and my first robbed hit was against Detroit because Tony Clark dove and robbed a hit. His grandfather’s retired No. He had two homers and two triples in a game against Rhode Island early that season.Along the way, he learned how to forge his own path with the family name while learning from both dad and grandpa.“Definitely the biggest thing they've taught me is how to handle failure,” he said. The dad is effusive in his praise of the kid’s drive and ambition. Rice shortstop Trei Cruz, whom the Tigers selected with the And this is the place every talent evaluator began. For multiple generations of Astros fans, José “Cheo” Cruz is the face of the Houston organization. He has been huge, too.”Along the way, there have been moments when the family understood the kid is special.For instance, he decided that switch-hitting would increase his value.

He is projected to be drafted within the five rounds after three successful seasons at Rice University. But Trei delayed professional goals to attend Rice where his dad, Jose Jr., was a three-time All-American. It was commonsense to do that, but it was also really impressive. Jose Cruz compiled six .300 seasons inside the Astrodome. “It's something I had to deal with and I definitely struggled with it growing up, but what I've learned the last couple years is the only pressure is from myself.