The Detroit Tigers recalled Trei Cruz from Triple-A Toledo, giving the 27-year-old outfielder his first major league call-up and adding him to the roster after Wenceel Pérez went on the injured list.
MLB's transaction log lists Cruz as recalled from the Toledo Mud Hens on June 19 and Pérez as placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to June 17 with a left orbital fracture. MLB's player record lists Cruz's major league debut date as June 19, 2026.
Cruz Joins Tigers After Pérez Injury
MLB Trade Rumors updated its report Friday after the move became official. The Tigers had been expected to add Cruz after Pérez was injured near his eye, and the club's transaction entry confirmed the roster swap.
Cruz is listed by MLB as a switch-hitting center fielder, though MLBTR noted he can play all three outfield spots and several infield positions. That defensive range gives Detroit a flexible bench option while Pérez is unavailable.
The Tigers selected Cruz in the third round of the 2020 draft and added him to the 40-man roster last November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Third-Generation MLB Family Reaches Detroit
The debut also carries a family marker. MLBTR cited The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen in noting that the Cruz family becomes only the fifth known three-generation major league family, with Trei following his father José Cruz Jr. and grandfather José Cruz.
Cruz pushed himself onto Detroit's radar in 2025, when MLBTR credited him with a .279/.411/.456 line, 13 home runs, 17 steals and an 18.1 percent walk rate over 564 plate appearances split between Double-A and Triple-A.
His 2026 Triple-A line has been quieter, with MLBTR listing him at .225/.331/.326 in 163 plate appearances around a minor league injured-list stint. The roster need still opened the door, and Detroit now gets a first look at a multi-position player with patience at the plate.