After 60 games with the Detroit Tigers, assistant hitting coach Jose Cruz Jr. is returning to Rice University. He will be named the baseball team's next head coach, according to a report from Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston.
Baseball America was the first report Rice was closing in on hiring Cruz as the program's next head coach.
Cruz, 47, attended Rice from 1992-95 and was a three-time All-American outfielder. After being selected by the Seattle Mariners with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1995 MLB draft, Cruz played 12 seasons in the major leagues for nine teams.