Juan De La Cruz played only season in Gulf Coast League

-

Astros minor leaguer Juan De La Cruz' career turned out brief - a single season, spent in 1990. But his time was marked, in The Houston Post.

In regular updates on Houston minor leaguers, De La Cruz was regularly there, at the top of the Gulf Coast League Astros pitchers list.

However he pitched, though, De La Cruz never got to return for a second season. He spent his limited career in the GCL.

De La Cruz' career began and ended that year, signed by the Astros as a free agent. De La Cruz' home country isn't listed on the baseball sites. His name was also written Juan DeLaCruz.

De La Cruz' first mention in The Post came July 1. He then had recorded three outings and 5.2 innings. He'd given up one earned run. 

By Aug. 5, he'd seen 12 outings and 19.2 innings and he was still recorded as giving up a single earned run.

Overall, De La Cruz appears to have had some rougher final outings. He's recorded as ending with 18 appearances, 29.1 innings of work and seven earned runs given up for an ERA of 2.15. That season marked his only season as a pro.


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,530
Made the Majors:1,432-31.6%
Never Made Majors:3,098-68.4%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:582
10+ Seasons in the Minors:359

Browse By:

-Player Name
-Player Team
-Date Featured

Players A to Z

Popular posts from this blog

Fidel Compres played, accidentally caused woman's death

-
Image
Fidel Compres went out after a game with the AAA Las Vegas Stars in July 1994. He then ended up inside his apartment, along with a teammate, two women and his two guns, The Associated Press reported of the police account. By the time the night was over, one of the two women was dead, shot in the neck, from a gun held by Compres, The AP wrote of the police account. "Compres began playing with two guns he keeps at his apartment, a .38-caliber revolver and a 9mm semi-automatic," The AP wrote . "While allegedly twirling the 9mm around on a finger, it discharged, sending a bullet into the neck of the woman, who died instantly, (the police spokesman) said." The shooting was ultimately determined not criminal, an accident. Compres played on elsewhere , but his time in affiliated ball had concluded. He last saw time in independent ball in 2000. Compres' career in baseball began in 1984, signed by the Indians as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic . Com...
Read more

Javier Hernandez worked on strikes in three pro seasons

-
Image
Asheville pitcher Javier Hernandez had a tough start in 1991, The Asheville Citizen-Times wrote . But in this July 1991 game, Hernandez went two innings and gave up one run, a performance that got the notice of his manager, Frank Cacciatore, The Citizen-Times wrote . Hernandez "came in and threw a lot of strikes - which he has had trouble with - his control," Cacciatore told The Citizen-Times . "Today, he showed improvement." Hernandez showed that improvement in his second season as a pro. He got into just one more. He topped out at high-A . Hernandez' career began in 1990, signed by the Astros as a free agent out of Miami-Dade Community College. Hernandez started with the Astros in 1990 in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He got into 15 games in relief and went 0-3, with a 3.49 ERA. He also saved two. He moved to single-A Asheville for 1991. He didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning of a May game, then hit a five-run fourth. Overall at Asheville, Hern...
Read more

Jeff Bennington fulfilled dream as pro; passed in 2023

-
Image
An excited Jeff Bennington spoke to The Tampa Tribune in June 1990 after signing as a pro, with the Astros. The Astros scout had called him to inform him directly of the opportunity, Bennington told The Tribune . "All I ever wanted to do was play pro baseball," Bennington, a catcher,  told The Tribune . "I have that chance now. I never gave up hope. I won't waste the opportunity." Bennington went on from there to play as a pro over two seasons. He topped out at single-A .  Bennington's career began that year in 1990, signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent out of Saint Leo College in Florida. Bennington played his high school ball at Boca Raton High School. In March 1985, the catcher spoke to The Miami Herald for a feature on one of his pitchers. "Before the game he was telling me to relax," Bennington told The Herald of the pitcher and a particular situation. "I ran out there and told him to remember what he had told me before t...
Read more

Features from the 1990 minor league sets (By Date)

-
Image
What happened to your favorite minor league team in 1990? Find out here. Since late 2009, the players of 1990 have been featured at Greatest21Days.com, one at a time. Here, they've been ordered here by the date published, newest first.  Every player has a story. With the help of contemporaneous newspaper articles, find that story here. Most recent players added Dec. 1 ,  2024 Features in order of when the y appeared: February 2025  -  Doug Bair  did his job in major leagues over 15 seasons , 2/23/25  -  Nick Belmonte  played, managed, broadcast Florida games , 2/22/25  -  Mark Brewer  amassed coaching experience over long career , 2/21/25  -  Dan Shwam  had long independent league managerial career , 2/15/25  -  Jim Schifman  dreamed of pros, made it for eight games , 2/11/25  -  Steve Keighley  worked to hit over 4 seasons, made high-A , 2/9/25  -  Jim Doyle  helped Sal...
Read more

David Wallace topped one scout's NYC list, saw 3 seasons

-
Image
Coming out of Brandeis High School in New York City in 1988, David Wallace came with high praise, according to Newsday . Wallace was described as having a major league arm and major league speed. He'd hit .365 the previous year, Newsday wrote . "He might be the best position player in the city," a scout told Newsday of Wallace. Wallace went on from Brandeis to college and to the pros. His pro career ended up lasting three seasons . He topped out at single-A. Wallace's pro career began in 1989, taken by the Astros in the 24th round of the draft out of Howard College in Texas. He then signed for 1990. He went to Howard out of Brandeis. At Brandeis, Wallace went 2 for 4 with a home run in a May 1988 game. He was also drafted that June by the Rangers, but chose Howard College instead. Wallace was credited with gunning down a runner at the plate in a May 1989 game with Howard. Wallace then signed with the Astros for 1990. He started in the rookie Gulf Coast League ...
Read more

Scott Bullard got credit for 4 pro games, passed in 2020

-
Image
Scott Bullard moved on from his baseball career early on. He then went into a new one, building fences . He started Bullard Fence with his brother in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida and worked over two decades to build the business, until his passing . Bullard passed away in June 2020 at the age of 50. His brief baseball career came three decades earlier, in 1990, taken by the Astros in the 41st round of the draft out of Florida State College at Jacksonville. Bullard played with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He's recorded as getting into four games, starting three. He went 2-1, with a 1.64 ERA.  According to his obituary , arm problems then prevented him from going further. He underwent Tommy John surgery and ultimately went home to Jacksonville. "When Scott wasn't working he enjoyed spending his time with family & friends, playing golf, and cooking out," his obituary read . Cedar Bay Funeral Home: John Scott Bullard More:  The 1990 Gulf Co...
Read more