Padres Top Prospect Undergoes Major Elbow Surgery, Out Indefinitely

May 17, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a San Diego Padres hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres No. 3 ranked prospect right-hander Humberto Cruz underwent a UCL repair with an internal brace last week, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune's Jeff Sanders.

The timeline isn't quite as long as a Tommy John, but given his age, Sanders expects the Padres to not rush the 18-year-old back to the mound.

Cruz has tossed 20.2 innings in Single A this season and 17.1 in the Arizona Complex League. His total ERA sits at 7.20 on the year, but the six-foot-one prospect's potential and his fastball in the mid-90s are the key reasons why he is so highly touted in the organization.

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RHP Humberto Cruz, the #Padres' No. 3 prospect, late last week underwent a UCL repair with an internal brace.

The timeline isn't as long as a Tommy John surgery, but he is 18 so the #Padres can be plenty conservative.

— Jeff Sanders (@sdutSanders) September 1, 2025

Part of why Cruz is in the Padres organization was his performance at the U18 World Cup for Mexico. He showed enough stuff to earn a deal with the Friars and made two Complex League starts last season, totaling just two innings.

In addition to his heater, Padres scouts saw that when Cruz pumps the brakes on his changeup, it generated a solid amount of chase, especially with left-handed hitting, leading many around the team to believe that Cruz can be a great ground-ball producer.

His command was another area that scouts were impressed by, especially for his age, further proving that there is a reason why Cruz was kept in the organization among the many prospects traded this past deadline.

Padres insider Danny Barrand seemed to encapsulate perfectly where Cruz is currently at and more so of where he has the trajectory to go.

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"Command here appears to be better than control from what I’ve seen," Barrand wrote. "He keeps Slider’s down and away from righties and can locate the Fastball where it needs to be, though the Changeup is more of a work in progress.

"It’s hard not to buy in on this 18-year-old right-hander when velocity still appears to be progressing."

The 18-year-old will now be sidelined for the foreseeable future with his surgery, and perhaps a slow-played return to action so as not to rush his recovery nor development.

As for the Padres, they will look to kick off September on the right foot, heading back home after a six-game road trip, taking on the Baltimore Orioles.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.