With the 2025 college baseball season nearly halfway finished, it is important to note that one of the best hitters in the country is making his presence felt at Alabama State in Montgomery.
Juan Cruz has elevated himself into one of college baseball’s best hitters and is coming off a year where he was Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year and a member of the All-SWAC team.
This season, Cruz is batting .417 and has an on-base percentage of .484 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs.
One the most impressive things about Cruz’s play this season is that he has walked more than he has struck out, drawing 21 walks compared to striking out just 15 times.
The sophomore from Apopka, Fla., leads the country in hits with 67 after the Alabama State Hornets’ most recent game against South Alabama. His batting average is also in the top 25 in the country and is the third-best in the SWAC.
Cruz’s efforts at the plate have been a huge help for Alabama State as the Hornets are the best hitting team in the SWAC with a .321 team average.
This, in turn, has translated to wins as Alabama State is 11-4 in conference play this year. This is a nice turnaround for head coach Jose Vazquez’s team after they had a rough go in non-conference play. The Hornets are currently third in the SWAC behind Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman.
Cruz’s continual great play can bring the Hornets more success as the 2025 college baseball season is about halfway done. They are well within striking distance of winning a SWAC regular season championship.
It would be their third one in program history as the Hornets won the title in 2016 and 2022.
Up Next – Cruz and Alabama State’s next set of games will be a weekend series against Mississippi Valley State on the road in Itta Bena, Miss., at Magnolia Field.
The first pitch for the game on Thursday, April 17, is scheduled for 5 p.m. EDT.
Photo: Alabama State infielder Juan Cruz (33) during an NCAA baseball game on Sunday, Mar. 2, 2025, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
