Padres top pitching prospect self-deports to Mexico after pleading guilty to human smuggling charge: report

A apical pitching imaginable reportedly self-deported to his autochthonal state of Mexico aft pleading blameworthy to a misdemeanor related to quality smuggling successful Arizona.

San Diego Padres pitching imaginable Humberto Cruz pleaded blameworthy to a complaint of receiving wealth to transport noncitizens wrong the United States.

According to The Athletic, Cruz, successful the state legally with a enactment visa, was driving a conveyance that carried 2 immigrants successful the state illegally. Cruz, 19, was initially driving southbound connected State Route 85 successful Lukeville, Ariz., but was spotted driving northbound astir an hr aboriginal with 2 different passengers. Agents were suspicious that Cruz would not person had capable clip to scope the Lukeville Port of Entry to prime up passengers.

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Humberto Cruz of the San Diego Padres poses for a photograph astatine the San Diego Padres Minor League Photo Day astatine Peoria Sports Complex successful Peoria, Arizona, connected March 5, 2025. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)

The San Diego Padres told the San Diego Tribune that Cruz would apt suffer his enactment visa for 10 years, but tin reapply aft 5 years if helium demonstrates bully behavior.

"To my teammates, the organization, our fans, and my family, I privation to explicit my sincere regret for a caller lapse successful judgement that has caused disappointment to galore radical I profoundly respect. I recognize that my actions person fallen abbreviated of the standards expected of maine arsenic a nonrecreational and arsenic a typical of this organization," Cruz said successful a statement, via The Athletic.

"I instrumentality work for my behaviour and admit the interaction it has had connected my teammates, the club, and those who enactment us. To my teammates and coaches, I apologize for becoming a distraction and for not upholding the level of professionalism you deserve. To the fans, I americium atrocious for letting you down and for failing to conscionable the spot placed successful me.

"I americium committed to reflecting connected this moment, learning from it, and taking the due steps to determination guardant successful a affirmative and liable manner. I volition cooperate afloat with the enactment and immoderate steps required of me. … Thank you to everyone who has reached retired with enactment and honesty. I recognize that spot indispensable beryllium earned, and I americium prepared to bash that done my actions going forward."

Fans get astatine the entranceway gates of Peoria Sports Complex successful Peoria, Arizona, for the Los Angeles Dodgers outpouring grooming crippled against the San Diego Padres connected Feb. 22, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

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The pitcher admitted to officials that helium responded to an advertisement for drivers "to prime up radical for casual money" and was offered $1,000 per person, knowing "they were illegal," The Athletic said.

Cruz pleaded blameworthy to a misdemeanor complaint successful November successful speech for prosecutors dismissing a felony complaint of proscription of amerciable aliens for profit. He was sentenced to 30 days successful situation with recognition for clip served.

The plea deal, The Athletic said, stated Cruz understood his deportation would beryllium "practically inevitable and a virtual certainty."

The Padres placed Cruz, who they signed retired of Monterrey, Mexico, for $750,000 successful February 2024, connected the restricted database successful March.

Cruz underwent Tommy John country past August and had been rehabbing astatine the team’s outpouring grooming installation successful Arizona successful precocious October astatine the clip of his arrest.

In 14 starts successful some rookie and A-ball, Cruz pitched to a 7.58 ERA. MLB.com lists Cruz arsenic the team's fifth-best imaginable -- 3 of the 4 up of him are pitchers.

The San Diego Padres logo is displayed connected the tract astatine PETCO Park earlier a crippled against the St. Louis Cardinals connected April 3, 2024, successful San Diego, California. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

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The Padres did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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