For RobertAnthony Cruz, the Savannah Bananas player better known as Coach RAC, a packed stadium and a growing audience are blessings—but they are not the foundation of his life.
“Success is simply realizing that you are made in the image of God,” Cruz told in a Movieguide®.
Cruz’s story has the kind of twist that makes baseball feel bigger than a scoreboard. The official MLB player page lists Cruz signing a minor-league contract with the Washington Nationals in July 2021 and being released by the FCL Nationals in March 2022.
In the interview, Cruz said the release hit hard because playing professionally had been his childhood dream. He returned to James 1:2-4, which calls believers to consider trials joy because testing produces steadfastness, and said the disappointment changed how he understood God’s nearness.
“I felt God the closest in the moments where things have not gone my way,” Cruz said, describing the drive home after being released. He also recalled a later embarrassing moment on CNN, saying people contacted him afterward because his failure encouraged them through their own difficult experiences.
Related: How Coach RAC Uses Baseball to Point the Next Generation to Jesus
After leaving professional baseball, Cruz began making baseball coaching videos online. Biola Magazine described how the viral video of Cruz telling his father about the Nationals contract helped launch his online presence, while Cruz’s own biography said he eventually turned that coaching work into an opportunity with the Savannah Bananas.
Cruz said he first learned about the Bananas from a former teammate, then tried out in his area in fall 2023. He joined the team later that year, bringing the same mix of baseball instruction, athletic energy and faith-forward encouragement that made Coach RAC recognizable online.
That platform has created its own pressures. Cruz spoke openly about being married to Gigi, whom he met while they were homeschooled, and becoming a father; at the time of the interview, he said their baby was due the following January. “Every yes that I say yes to is a no to a couple other things,” Cruz said, explaining why prayer, rest and family have to shape his decisions.
He pointed to one baseball moment as a reminder that God can redeem a closed door. On July 13, 2024 — three years after signing with Washington — Cruz hit a home run at Nationals Park while playing for the Bananas, a moment documented by the Washington Post and summarized in Cruz’s biography.
Looking ahead, Cruz said he hoped to help organize worship nights with local churches in the cities the Bananas visit. “We’re going to try to host a worship night in that city,” he said, describing a plan to invite nearby churches and connect fans with local congregations.
For Cruz, baseball remains a gift and a platform, but it cannot carry the weight of his identity. “I want to be known as someone who ran the race to the end,” he said, adding that he wants to use what God has given him for good.
Read Next: How Failure Shape Coach RAC’s Path to the Savannah Bananas
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