San Diego Padres pitcher self-deports back to Mexico after responding to ridiculous Facebook ad

A promising pitcher for the MLB's San Diego Padres was caught committing an immigration crime in Arizona.

Humberto Cruz, a 19-year-old prospect from Monterrey, Mexico, is now listed as "restricted" on his official minor-league page after self-deporting back to Mexico following a criminal complaint last October.

'I understand that my actions have fallen short of the standards expected of me.'

Cruz was previously listed as the Padres' fifth-most promising prospect in official rankings, the New York Post reported, but has seemingly been removed from the list at the time of this writing.

Now, the Mexican has reportedly left the country after he was charged with a felony for transporting illegal aliens for profit and a misdemeanor for being an accessory to improper entry.

On October 28, Cruz was spotted by Border Patrol agents in a 2020 BMW SUV with a Mexican license plate near Lukeville, Arizona, a small town on the U.S.-Mexico border. According to the Athletic, Cruz was first seen with one male occupant inside and then, an hour later, was observed to have multiple passengers.

Despite legally entering the U.S. through Phoenix, Cruz allegedly had two illegal aliens from Mexico in his vehicle, one of whom was deported just four days earlier.

The pitcher then allegedly waived his Miranda rights and told federal agents he responded to a social media ad that was looking for someone to "pick up people for easy money."

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The baseball player allegedly said he was offered $1,000 for each pickup and that the locations were provided to him through an unknown contact by phone. Cruz traveled from Tucson to Phoenix and admitted he knew "they were illegal" once he picked the passengers up, according to police.

Cruz received a $750,000 signing bonus from the Padres organization in February 2024.

Under a plea agreement, the government agreed to drop the felony charge, which would have come with a maximum 10-year imprisonment. Still, the misdemeanor conviction meant Cruz was likely to be deported anyway, and he agreed to accept the charges and waive the right to appeal his sentence while leaving of his own accord.

Cruz will reportedly lose his work visa for 10 years but is eligible to reapply after five years on the condition of good behavior, the San Diego Union-Tribute reported.

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Cruz released a statement through the Padres organization, saying he had "sincere regret" over his "recent lapse in judgment."

"I understand that my actions have fallen short of the standards expected of me as a professional and as a representative of this organization. I take responsibility for my conduct and recognize the impact it has had on my teammates, the club, and those who support us. To my teammates and coaches, I apologize for becoming a distraction and for not upholding the level of professionalism you deserve."

Cruz stated not only that he let the team and his friends down, but that he also let down the fans by "failing to meet the trust placed" in him.

The pitcher added, "I am committed to reflecting on this moment, learning from it, and taking the appropriate steps to move forward in a positive and responsible manner. I will cooperate fully with the organization and any steps required of me."

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