PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Can we get him to the majors yet?
Pirates highly regarded prospect Oneil Cruz with a highlight reel home run as Triple A Indianapolis beat Columbus Sunday in extra innings. This Cruz missile was a walk-off.
We are nearly to the point where if they call him up they don’t lose a year of control. While the Pirates said the 6’7” shortstop needed some reps in the outfield and had only played six career games at Triple A. The motivation to not have him on the Opening Day roster was also fiscal. If they waited until around now, they wouldn’t lose a full year of arbitration time.
Bottom line, with the crazy baseball rules for time you own a players’ rights, waiting until the end of April gives the Pirates another season before free agency starts for Cruz.
The 23-year-old did indeed struggle at the start of the AAA season after hitting a pair of mammoth home runs, including a couple of the hardest hit balls in all of MLB Spring Training. For the year, Cruz has a .204 average with a pair of doubles, a triple, eight RBI and Sunday’s blast is the only home run. The lefty-hitter does have a modest three-game hitting streak immediately after going 1-20.
His exit velocities are among the top in the game and he has also stolen 66 bases in his pro career. Kevin Newman is currently the starting shortstop, but Newman can play second. There has been a rotation at second base, along with right field. Cruz has played two games in left at Indy, but right field would be easier at PNC Park.
It’s a season for finding out more about players, when will we find out more about Oneil Cruz in the majors?