Fernando Tatis Jr. Ruling Could Have Major Implications for Elly De La Cruz

Big news broke earlier this week when San Diego Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. lost his lawsuit against Big League Advance, a company that provides athletes with upfront money before they reach the big leagues in exchange for a percentage of their future earnings.

Tatis reportedly received $2 million while he was in the minor leagues. In exchange, Big League Advance recieved 10% of his future earnings if he made the bigs. If he had never made the majors, he would have owed nothing back.

"Tatis had publicly praised Big League Advance, saying the $2 million allowed him to hire a personal trainer, upgrade his apartment, and eat better food," Joe Pompliano posted on X.

So when Tatis signed a 14-year, $340 million contract. he owed Big League Advance $34 million. That is when he sued, arguing the deal was predatory and functioned like an illegal loan. However, the court ruled against him.

In 2018, Tatis had this to say about the company.

“If I’m a successful player and make big money, I’m not going to care about giving that money away," Tatis told The Athletic. "That will be nothing if I make all that big money.”

Why This Maters for Elly De La Cruz

May 25, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) warms up before a game against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

So why does this matter for Elly De La Cruz? Well, according to Joe Pompliano and Hector Gomez, De La Cruz had also previously signed a deal with Big League Advance.

Big League Advance has agreements with more than 700 athletes. The terms of De La Cruz's deal have not been made public, but the Tatis ruling could strengthen enforeability of these agreements going forward, meaning if De La Cruz or other athletes were to sue, they likely would not win.

However, it's important to note that since De La Cruz's agreements has not been publicly reported, his situation could be slightly different as every contract can be structured differently.

In hindsight, it is easy to question why a player would sign this type of deal. However, for players trying to climb through the minor leagues while making relatively little money, that upfront financial security can be life-changing and help them invest in themselves long before they ever reach the big leagues.

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