Los Angeles Dodgers international scout Ismael Cruz was named the recipient of the 2024 Tony Gwynn Award, which is Baseball America’s version of a lifetime achievement honor.
Cruz was recognized for his contributions as a scout, a career that he began exactly 30 years ago.
Cruz said he is honored to receive an award named after San Diego Padres legend Tony Gwynn, via Cary Osborne of Dodger Insider:
“If the award has the name Tony Gwynn, I can imagine that is very important,” Cruz said. “I remember him being a people’s person, a player who everybody likes. So the award reflects what he was like.”
Cruz credited everyone he has worked with in the Dodgers organization and beyond for helping him win the 2024 Tony Gwynn Award:
“This award is not just me, Cruz said. “It’s the whole list of people that have worked with me to get this. … Respect to those guys.”
The Dodgers hired Cruz before the start of the 2016 season and is officially the team’s vice president of international scouting.
He has overseen an international scouting department that has produced several Major Leaguers despite routinely having one of the lowest annual international signing bonus pools.
Cruz’s efforts helped the Dodgers successfully sign the likes of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Andy Pages, both of whom played key roles in the team winning the 2024 World Series.
Among other notable Major League players he signed throughout his three-decade career include Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Yordan Alvarez.
Ismael Cruz’s career before Dodgers
Prior to joining the Dodgers, Cruz worked as the international scouting director for the Toronto Blue Jays (2011-2015) and New York Mets (2007-2011).
Cruz played two Minor League seasons before joining the Pittsburgh Pirates for his first scouting job. He later served as manager for the San Diego Padres’ Dominican Summer League team before landing his first significant scouting role with the Montreal Expos.
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