According to multiple reports out of the Dominican Republic, Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Oneil Cruz has reported to his winter ball team. Cruz has been a member of Leones de Escogido over the past three winters, but he was traded to the Gigantes del Cibao prior to this upcoming season, which is set to begin on November 15th. He has a .179/.258/.250 slash line over nine games in his two partial seasons of winter ball. The 22-year-old Cruz is still awaiting possible charges for his accident in September that caused the loss of three lives in the Dominican. He spent this past season at the Pirates Alternate Training Site in Altoona.
If you missed it from Friday, Leones De Escogido announced that Gregory Polanco will be playing this winter for the first time since the 2013-14 off-season. Polanco put up a .922 OPS in 44 games that year, which was just prior to his big league debut in June of 2014. This past season for the Pirates he hit .153/.214/.325 in 50 games.
