Trei Cruz rejects Team Canada to focus on Tigers in spring training

Team Canada extended an invitation.

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After that, after further consideration, Cruz declined Team Canada’s offer, committing to remain with the Tigers through spring training in hopes of earning a spot on the Opening Day roster, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The Tigers added Cruz to the 40-man roster in November 2025, opening the door for his MLB debut sometime in the 2026 season.

The son of former Blue Jays star José Cruz Jr. was born in Toronto, making him eligible for Team Canada.

“It’s on our radar. Absolutely, it’s on our radar,” Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt said Dec. 9 at the MLB Winter Meetings, before Cruz balked. “He can play multiple positions, and the one position we don’t have in abundance is shortstop.”

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The WBC will take place from March 5 to 17.

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During that stretch, spring training is held for all 30 MLB teams.

For the Tigers, pitchers and catchers report on February 11, position players report on February 15, the first spring game is on February 21 and the last spring game is on March 24, with Opening Day scheduled for March 26 against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego.

“A lot of times with guys like that, they have to make a decision: Are they going to leave camp for those two weeks and not be around the coaching staff?” Whitt said. “It’s a tough decision he’s going to have to make, but it’s not just him. Those guys are competing for jobs. I can totally understand their position if they come back and say, ‘I think I want to try to secure my future and play in the big leagues.'”

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The Tigers selected Cruz with the 73rd overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Rice University.

In 2025, Cruz hit .279 with 13 home runs, 102 walks, and 121 strikeouts in 127 games for Double-A Erie (69 games) and Triple-A Toledo (58 games), stealing 17 bases in 24 attempts. He advanced in early July from the SeaWolves to the Mud Hens after four seasons at the Double-A level.

At the Triple-A level, Cruz produced a .284 batting average with six home runs and an .881 OPS in 58 games.

“Trei had great numbers last year in Triple-A,” said Whitt, a 73-year-old Michigan native who attended Roseville High School and Macomb Community College before a 15-year MLB career. “He can play almost any position besides throwing and catching, and the key part is that he can play shortstop if something were to happen to Otto (López).”

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Cruz is not only eligible for Team Canada, but he is also eligible for Team Puerto Rico and Team USA. Both his father and grandfather, 19-year-old MLB outfielder José Cruz, were born in Puerto Rico.

Cruz was not contacted by Team Puerto Rico, so he considered joining Team Canada for the 2026 WBC. But he ultimately decided to spend the entire spring with the Tigers in Lakeland, Florida.

Cruz will likely start 2026 at Triple-A Toledo.

“It’s the versatility we talk about all the time with our position player group, getting guys who can play multiple positions at corner and middle, and where appropriate, add to that a switch-hitting offensive profile,” Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg said Dec. 9 at the Winter Meetings. “He can play third. He can play short. He can play center field. He can play corner. He produced on both sides of the plate last year. He gets on base a lot, he doesn’t chase. There’s some damage there, too. He deserves a lot of credit for the work he did on both sides of the ball, his physicality, staying athletic, being able to play all those positions.”