A few things to know about the newest Twin
With a nickname like Boomstick, you can expect some power.
December 28, 2018 at 6:51AM
Age: 38. Born Nelson Ramón Cruz Martínez on July 1, 1980 in Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic.
Size: 6-foot-2, 230 pounds. Bats and throws: right
Position: Designated hitter. He has played only nine games in the outfield in the past two seasons.
Career path: Signed with the New York Mets as a 17-year-old. After three years, he was traded to Oakland and spent four years in the minor leagues before being traded to Milwaukee. Made his major league debut with the Brewers in September 2005.
Major destinations: Traded to Texas in 2006, Cruz spent eight seasons with the Rangers, playing in two World Series. He signed with Baltimore in 2014 and, after leading the American League with 40 home runs, signed a four-year, $57 million deal with Seattle in 2015.
Honors: Six-time AL All-Star, including the past two seasons with Seattle. He was MVP of the 2011 AL Championship Series for Texas when he set postseason series records for home runs (six) and RBI (13). Led AL in home runs in 2014 and RBI in 2017.
By the numbers: In 14 major league seasons, he has 360 home runs, 1,011 RBI and a .274 batting average. His .518 slugging percentage is 11th among active players and his .860 OPS is 16th.
Home: New York City; he became an American citizen earlier this year.
Family: Wife Giada, two children.
Contract: One-year, $14.3 guaranteed. He will earn $14 million in 2019 and the Twins have an option for $12 million in 2020, with a $300,000 buyout.
On Twitter: @ncboomstick23
Did you know? Cruz hit his first major league home run on July 31, 2006, off the Twins' Willie Eyre.
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High-profile victims in Minnesota include Timberwolf Mike Conley and Twins co-owner Jim Pohlad.
