The Washington Nationals made a big investment five years ago.

It didn’t pay off.

Recently, the Nationals released shortstop Armando Cruz, according to insider Francys Romero.

Cruz signed for a bonus of $3.9 million in the 2020-21 international signing period. That was the second-largest bonus of that whole international class.

Despite that, the infielder from the Dominican Republic simply couldn’t make it work in professional baseball.

He began his career in the Dominican Summer League and even struggled there, with a .232 average and .292 on-base percentage.

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Cruz moved up to the Florida Complex League the next season and hit .275.

But then splitting the last couple seasons between Single-A and High-A, Cruz struggled throughout.

He was a career .207 hitter with a .529 OPS at Single A in 170 games.

Then in 114 games at High-A, Cruz hit just .186 with a .475 OPS.

No matter how good an infielder he could’ve developed into, Cruz hasn’t shown nearly enough hitting proficiency to have any chance of sticking around the higher levels of the minors.

Given his pedigree, Cruz may get an offer from another organization to join their minor league system.

The Nationals, though, had seen enough. His time in the Nats’ organization is over, ending with a whimper after beginning with such shine.

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