A two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Jose “Cheo” Cruz, was one of the most dominant left-hand hitting players for the Houston Astros. A standout from Arroyo, Puerto Rico, Jose Cruz played a total of 19 seasons in the MLB, 13 being with the Houston Astros (1975-1984) Cruz debuted for the Astros on April 7, 1975, with a home run and three RBIs in a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. In 1977, he emerged as the best hitter on the team, batting .299 with 17 home runs, 87 RBIs, and 44 stolen bases. In 1980, Cruz quickly became a fan favorite after leading the Astros to its first-ever division title and postseason. That same year he was selected to play in his first All-Star Game, was voted Astros team MVP, and received his second straight Roberto Clemente Award. In 1983 he led the National League in hits and also exceeded the 30 stolen base mark five times. During his time with the Astros, Cruz played in 1,870 games, batting .292 with 335 doubles, a franchise-record 80 triples, 138 home runs, 942 RBI and 288 stolen bases. Cruz, who is currently a Community Outreach Executive for the Astros, has held a strong presence within the organization since his playing days, as he spent 13 seasons as the Astros Major League first base coach and over a decade in the front office. The Houston Astros retired his No. 25 jersey in 1992 and was part of the inaugural class for the Astros Hall of Fame in 2019. Cruz was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
