Cruz Gets Hot
By Carter Coffman
Oniel Cruz is a 23-year-old Dominican baseball sensation that is just getting started. He has hit two homeruns already in spring training, and there are only four games into the Grapefruit League. He is looking to have a strong spring and earn the starting day shortstop position over defensive star Kevin Newman.
Rewind a few years to how the Pirates acquired Cruz... It was the 2017 trade deadline and the Dodgers and Pirates struck a deal. It was a 3 player trade. Tony Watson was going to the Dodgers and Oneil Cruz with Angel German. Cruz has worked his way up the system and made his debut against the Reds late last season. The hype is very real as he is the number 26th prospect in the MLB and third-ranked in the Pirates farm system.