BRADENTON (93.7 The FAN) - Spring training is upon us which means so is a time when some young guys get their chance to workout and play with the big league club and one of the top Pirates prospects has shown up early and is ready to work.
Short stop Oneil Cruz entered Pirate City today and it's tough to miss his 6-foot-6-inch frame not to mention the fan fare from his teammates during his arrival.
Cruz met with reporters and immediately got to talking about how excited he is for his first full, major league camp.
"It feels great. It's an honor. It's a blessing to be here and I'm really excited. I had a good time last year being able to show a little bit of what I have and I'm excited to show a little bit of what I have now."
From almost the day Cruz was acquired in the Tony Watson trade, there has been so much talk about moving to other positions because of his size and he was asked if that impacts him at all.
"No one has really directly told me, 'Hey, we're thinking about moving you around or trying you in different positions.' I have had a few people just bring it up here and there, but my focus is short stop. I don't really care to play any other position."
Asked if his goal is to remain at short stop, Cruz game a simple, but direct answer, "Yes."
In order to remain at that position and fulfill his goal of making it to the major leagues, Cruz worked on his body this offseason and getting bigger.
"I focused a lot on just hitting the weights, gaining a little bit more weight, and really focuses a lot on my preparation so I can have a more lasting season."
So, is the goal to make it to the majors this year after finishing the 2019 season at AA Altoona? Cruz again has a simple, bit direct answer, "Yes."
Click the audio link to hear more from one of the Pirates top prospects about the opportunity in front of him.
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