Nelson Cruz Honored by OKC HOF

Story and photos by Darl DeVault, contributing editor

Retired Major League Baseball star Nelson Cruz thanked the OKC community and his former manager for helping him develop, and he revealed what drove his success at his induction into the OKC Triple-A Baseball Hall of Fame on August 29, 2026.
He played for parts of four seasons with the RedHawks between 2007 and 2010 during the team’s affiliation with the Texas Rangers. In 155 total games, Cruz hit 52 home runs and amassed148 RBI.
Speaking before a game to the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark fans, Cruz focused on his connection to the local fans whose support made him feel like a true member of the community rather than just a player trying to make the big leagues.
“From the bottom of my heart, my family, Oklahoma, thank you for embracing me like one of you guys,” Cruz told the crowd. “I enjoy every moment because you guys make me feel part of you, feel part of the team.”
In a social media comment about the event, he reinforced this sentiment, writing, “Oklahoma City will always be a special part of my journey and my story.”
Cruz attributed much of his development and enjoyment of the game to Bobby Jones, who managed the then-RedHawks during Cruz’s tenure. He highlighted Jones’ ability to balance instruction with freedom. “Jones taught me also to have fun and enjoy baseball,” Cruz said. “He always gave you the freedom to play, to let you be yourself.”
Reflecting on his dominant 2008 season in OKC—where he was named Pacific Coast League MVP—Cruz revealed that the pressure of impending fatherhood drove his performance. “With the birth of my first son approaching at the time, I felt an urgency to perform,” Cruz said. He explained that his goal was to secure a promotion to the Majors “to be able to provide for my growing family.”
That 2008 campaign with the Texas Rangers affiliate Oklahoma RedHawks (now the Oklahoma City Comets) was historic and dominant. His MVP season is best defined by a rare blend of power and speed on the basepaths. He became the first of now three players in the franchise’s “Bricktown Era” to record at least 20 (37) home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season.
He translated his 2008 Triple-A success to immediately excel in the Majors, hitting .330 with a 1.030 OPS in 31 games for Texas to close the year,
Cruz built a reputation as one of the most feared power hitters of his generation, playing outfield and designated hitter. He transitioned from an everyday outfielder into one of the most prolific full-time designated hitters in baseball history.
Cruz played MLB 1,010 games as a defensive position player in the field. He spent the vast majority of his defensive innings in the corners of the outfield. Cruz played MLB 1,411 games as a designated hitter. He holds the MLB record for the second-most career home runs hit strictly while occupying the DH slot in a lineup, trailing only Hall of Famer David Ortiz.
He amassed 464 career home runs, 2,053 hits, and seven All-Star selections over 19 seasons. His 346 home runs during the 2010s were the most by any player within the decade.
He is best known for his historic 2011 postseason run and for adapting remarkably well to new managers, hitting more than 40 home runs for three different franchises (Rangers, Orioles, Mariners)—a rare feat in MLB history.
He earned the nickname “Boomstick” and appeared in 50 MLB postseason games, hitting 18 home runs and driving in 38 runs with a .278 batting average. He homered in the postseason for four teams (Rangers, Orioles, Twins, Rays). Named the 2011 ALCS MVP against the Detroit Tigers, he hit the first walk-off grand slam in MLB postseason history in Game 2. He finished the series with 6 home runs and 13 RBIs in just six games, batting .364.
Nelson played for eight MLB teams in 19 seasons. He was 26 when he first played for the RedHawks and 43 when he signed a one-day honorary contract to officially retire from MLB as a member of the Seattle Mariners on March 28, 2024.
His decade-long sustained commitment to his hometown of Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic, earned him the 2021 MLB Roberto Clemente Award for his humanitarian efforts.
Often stepping in where local resources were lacking, he made key contributions to humanitarian infrastructure.
After a childhood friend lost their home to a fire because the town lacked firefighting equipment, Cruz personally purchased and donated a fire truck to the community and 80 uniforms to help protect firefighters. He also donated ambulances because the nearest hospital is approximately an hour away.
He organizes annual healthcare access clinics, bringing dentists and optometrists to the town to provide free checkups, medicine, and eyewear. In 2020 alone, these clinics served 500 patients.
His foundation, Boomstick23 Foundation, began construction on a police station and also donated $400,000 in medical equipment and food aid to the Dominican Republic.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cruz provided direct financial support to nearly 1,200 families in his hometown to help them weather the economic shutdown. He also ensured more than 700 families were fed during the crisis. Cruz also built an education and technical center to supply computers to help young student-athletes continue their education while training.
Cruz also acknowledged the honor of being the first Latino inductee since the Hall of Fame’s revival in 2023. His induction coincided with the “Cielo Azul de Oklahoma City” weekend, a celebration of the team’s Hispanic and Latino fans, making his selection particularly timely.
His was a rare working induction into the Hall of Fame, since he was later in the dugout with the Oklahoma Comets that evening as a recently hired Special Assistant for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Comets’ MLB team.