Personal Information
Full Name | Nelson Ramón Cruz Martínez Jr. |
Date of Birth | July 1, 1980 |
Nationality | Dominican-American |
Height | 1.88 m |
Role | Designated hitter |
Nelson Cruz: A Brief Biography
Nelson Ramon Cruz Martinez Jr., better known as Nelson Cruz Jr., is a Dominican-American professional baseball designated hitter and right fielder who is currently a free agent. Nelson Cruz has played for eight teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals, and most recently, the San Diego Padres.
Nelson is known for his power-hitting record of 346 home runs, which he hit during the 2010s, the most home runs hit by any player in that decade. In 2020, Nelson was selected as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year and the ESPY's Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award winner, and in 2021, he received the Roberto Clemente Award.
Nelson has also won several awards and accolades, including four Silver Slugger Awards and two Edgar Martínez Awards, and has been a seven-time MLB All-Star.
Nelson Cruz Jr.’s Personal Information
Name | Nelson Ramón Cruz Martínez Jr. |
Age | 30 |
Dob | July 1, 1980 |
Nationality | Dominican-American |
Mother’s Name | Dominga Cruz |
Father's name | Nelson Cruz Sr. |
Profession | Baseball Player |
Net Worth | $40 million, estimated |
Height | 6 Feet 2 Inches (188cm) |
Weight | 104 kg |
Education | Dominican Republic High School |
Relationship Status | Single |
Nelson Cruz Jr.’s Early Life
Nelson Cruz was born on July 1, 1980, in Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic, and he grew up with a passion for basketball. His childhood idol was Michael Jordan, and he played for the Dominican Republic Junior National Basketball Team as a teenager.
Additionally, Nelson worked as a mechanic’s helper with his uncle at a tractor factory. He also repaired and shined shoes.
In 2012, he donated $20 thousand to a person, helping him purchase a firetruck for Las Matas de Santa Cruz. He also donated two ambulances to his community with the help of American Medical Responses (AMR).
Nelson Cruz Jr’s Personal Life
Nelson Cruz is a private person who prefers to keep his personal life, relationships, business, and investment-related information confidential. Only a limited amount of information about him is available publicly.
Nelson Cruz is a single father of four children. During the offseason, he resides in Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic. He became an American citizen after the 2018 season.
Nelson is an active philanthropist and co-founder of Boomstick 23 Foundation, which helps young students in education and sports. He is also involved with the Nature Conservancy and Players for the Planet charitable organization.
Nelson Cruz’s Family Background
Nelson is the son of Nelson Cruz Sr. and Dominga Cruz. Nelson's father played baseball in the Dominican Republic, and his mother was a successful professor. Nelson has two sisters, Nelsy and Olga. He grew up passionate about basketball, but Nelson’s father motivated him to pursue baseball.
Nelson Cruz Jr.’s Social Media
Nelson is active on social media and has over 120 thousand followers on Twitter, over 440 thousand followers on Instagram, and 53 thousand followers on Facebook.
His official handles are as follows:Twitter - https://twitter.com/ncboomstick23
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ncboomstick23/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ncboomstick23
Nelson Cruz’s Net Worth
As of 2023, Nelson’s net worth is an estimated $40 million. Nelson has earned a significant portion of his net worth from his salary, incentives, and endorsements.
Year | Net Worth |
2022 | $40 million |
2021 | $40 million |
Nelson Cruz Jr. as a Brand Ambassador
There is limited information about Nelson being a brand ambassador.
However, Nelson has been associated with various endorsements across diverse industries, including Nike, HULU, T-Mobile, Manscaped, Budweiser, and HUMBL (NFTs).
Nelson Cruz Jr.’s Career Stats
Nelson has had a career with ups and downs but has managed to score 464 homers, maintaining an average of .274 and a slugging percentage of .513, and putting up 1325 RBIs so far.
Here is a tabular representation of Nelson Cruz’s MLB career stats.
Stats | Value |
Games | 2,055 |
At-bats | 7,501 |
Hits | 2,053 |
Home runs | 464 |
Runs batted in | 1,325 |
Batting average | 0.274 |
On-base percentage | 0.343 |
Slugging percentage | 0.513 |
On-base plus slugging percentage | 0.856 |
Nelson Cruz Jr.’s Achievements
Here is a tabular representation of Nelson’s Achievements so far.
Highlights and Awards | Year |
7x MLB All-Star | (2009, 2013–2015, 2017, 2018, 2021) |
All-MLB First Team | (2019) |
All-MLB Second Team | (2020) |
ALCS MVP | (2011) |
4× Silver Slugger Award | (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020) |
Roberto Clemente Award | (2021) |
Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award | (2020) |
MLB home run leader | (2014) |
2× Edgar Martínez Award | (2017, 2019) |
All-World Baseball Classic Team | (2013) |
Nelson Cruz’s Contract
Nelson signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the San Diego Padres on January 11, 2023, and was designated for assignment by the Padres on July 4, 2023, and released on July 11, 2023. Nelson is currently a free agent.
Nelson Cruz Jr.’s Diet
Nelson is a strict disciplinarian regarding his diet, which is essential to support his performance on the baseball field. During the off-season, he limits his carbohydrate intake and cuts out foods like rice. During the peak season, he incorporates some carbs into his meals while closely monitoring his weight. Nelson's daily diet consists of meat, vegetables, and rice during training, while in season, Nelson maintains a lighter dinner, including salads and fish. He aims to build a quality sleep cycle, for around 10 hours whenever possible and also brings prepared meals to facilities. Nelson also has a private cook who prepares food according to his preferences and ensures he stays committed to his nutritional plan.
Nelson Cruz’s House
Nelson holds a special connection to Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic, his hometown. While he spends his baseball seasons in the States, he returns to his hometown every winter. He resides with his parents in the house where he grew up during his teenage years.
Nelson has also installed solar panels in his parent's home to ensure a stable electricity supply. He also mentioned plans to construct an education center in Las Matas to provide teaching and training opportunities for those who couldn't finish their schooling.
Nelson Cruz’s Cars
Nelson enjoys traveling in his Mercedes Benz GLS 600 Maybach and has been publicly cited for doing so. While he owns several other cars, details of those remain private.
FAQs
A. Nelson Cruz primarily plays as a right fielder and a designated hitter.
A. Yes, Nelson Cruz is actively involved in philanthropy and founded the Boomstick 23 Foundation.
A. Nelson Cruz is from Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic.
A. Yes, Nelson Cruz is currently a free agent, released by the San Diego Padres on July 11, 2023.
A. Nelson Cruz has a .245 average this season and a .274 average over his career.
A. Nelson Cruz has played for eight teams: the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals, and San Diego Padres.