The Big Red baseball team stormed on to the scene in the Ivy League in 2012, playing host to their first Ivy League Championship Series victory over Dartmouth and returning to the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 1977.

At the forefront of the team’s success was then-sophomore right fielder Chris Cruz, who broke the Big Red single season record for home runs by crushing 12 big flies over the course of 49 games. The biggest of these home runs came in walk-off fashion against the Dartmouth Big Green in the bottom of the 11th inning of the Ivy League Championship Series, putting Cruz in the Cornell history books forever.

As Cruz put together a spectacular year with 12 home runs, 35 RBI, and a .258 batting average, he provided the offensive firepower that the team needed to make a run in 2012 and became the talk of the Ivy League.

But Cruz is far more than your average cleanup hitter. He was second on the team in stolen bases, first in outfield assists, and made acrobatic defensive plays in right field highlighted by a diving catch that sent him hurtling head first into the wall down the right field line. Furthermore, his quiet and humble mentality and lead by example approach make him a favorite among fans, coaches, and the players themselves.

So just how good is Chris Cruz and what should we expect from him as the calendar turns to 2013?

If his summer ball play with the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs of the Perfect Game College Baseball League was any indication, the sky is the limit for the Big Red right fielder. Cruz was named to the league’s top prospects (6th) in a field of players from the strongest programs in the country.

“It means a lot because I worked hard all summer and it paid off,” remarked Cruz in a recent interview with the Cornell Review. “There were a lot of good players in the league and to be named above them means a lot.”

For Cruz, summer league play was a time to work specifically on his approach at the plate. Throughout the regular season, he had trouble when he fell behind in the count and pitchers used their off speed pitches to keep him off balance.

“I was trying to cut down on the strike outs and just work on hitting the ball the other way,” added Cruz. “About the middle of the summer, I started to see all off-speed pitches which worked out. I know that now I’m more confident hitting the ball the other way and more confident with the off speed [pitches].”

With hard work and a good approach, things started to click at the plate. In 41 games for the DiamondDawgs, Cruz hit 8 HR with 40 RBI, while posting a .319 batting average. In 18 less at bats than the regular season Cruz had more walks, stolen bases, hits, RBI’s, runs scored, doubles, and triples while posting fewer, strikeouts than he did in the regular season.

What is possibly even more impressive is that he accomplished all this using wooden bats as opposed to the aluminum bats used through¬out college baseball’s regular season.

Off the field, Cruz is a Long Island native, and a devoted New York Yankees fan. He grew up idolizing Yankee greats like Paul O’Neil, Tino Martinez, and Bernie Williams with whom he shares a common Puerto Rican heritage. He attributes much of his success to the love and support that his family has given him over the years and throughout his time with the Big Red.

The Big Red has found themselves a bona fide five tool caliber player in their humble right fielder Chris Cruz. His towering homeruns, spectacular defense, and great respect for the game make him an all around player and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who can say a bad thing about him. Keep your eye closely fixed on this kid because you may see him going from Big Red to Yankee blue pinstripes if he can continue to build on his success.

Alex Gimenez is a sophomore in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He can be reached at ajg322@cornell.edu.