Dodgers reportedly hire international scouting exec Ismael Cruz from Blue Jays

The Dodgers have reportedly hired longtime international scout Ismael Cruz away from the Blue Jays, per multiple reports.

Sources: #Dodgers have hired international scouting executive Ismael Cruz away from #BlueJays.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 9, 2015

International scouting director Ismael Cruz will leave #Bluejays for #Dodgers per source, as @jonmorosi reported

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) November 9, 2015

Cruz was a special assistant to then-general manager Alex Anthopoulos, focusing on scouting in Latin America, a position he held for four seasons. Prior to Toronto, Cruz was the director of international scouting for both the Expos/Nationals (2001-2005) and Mets (2006-2011).

The Dodgers have not confirmed the hire. Head of international scouting Bob Engle, along with some of his staff, did not have their contracts renewed.

Among the players secured by Cruz for Toronto in recent years include Vladimir Guerrero Jr., shortstop Franklin Barreto — dealt to Oakland in the Josh Donaldso trade — and pitcher Miguel Castro — traded to Colorado in the Troy Tulowitzki deal.

Castro signed at age 17 with Toronto in 2012 for the paltry sum of $43,000, a value recognized by Anthopoulos last March after watching Castro pitch, per Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun:

After seeing Castro, he phoned his international scouting director Ismael Cruz and congratulated him on what he saw. Cruz, with his first signing for the Jays, got Castro for the tiny number of $43,000.

"I called him and said, ‘I don’t know how you got this guy but you’ve just paid for your salary for the next 10 years. That’s what I thought then. The way he’s going now, it might be his salary for the next 20 years.

With new president Mark Shapiro in place in Toronto, Anthopoulos resigned as Blue Jays general manager on Oct. 29.

Cruz, 46, also had a role in signing Jeurys Familia, Juan Lagares and Wilmer Flores, among others, with the Mets.