The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling top prospect Oneil Cruz, according to multiple reports (Jon Heyman). Cruz appeared in two games late last season and should be ready to join the MLB ranks this season, but the Pirates sent him to Triple-A to start the season and he stayed there until that promotion.
At the start of the season, CBS Sports’ RJ Anderson ranked Cruz as the 22nd best prospect in baseball, and many of the guys before him have already made their debuts this year.
Cruz, 23, is quite an athletic specimen. He’s a 6ft 7 shortstop. Note here that Corey Seager is regularly touted as the tallest shortstop in MLB history, and he’s 6-foot-4. Cruz also possesses great strength and speed. To underscore that point, he had 16 doubles, five triples, 17 homers and 19 steals in 69 minor league games last season. In 54 games starting Sunday in Triple-A, Cruz hit .233/.337/.424 with seven doubles, three triples, nine homers, 35 RBI, 40 runs and 11 stolen bases.
Here’s a good impression of Cruz’s skills:
To take a ball that deep and just smack it out of bounds by throwing your hands across the zone is incredibly impressive, and there just aren’t many players talented enough to pull that off.
It didn’t take Cruz long to impress on his debut last season. He went 2 for 5 in his first game and then hit a homer in his next game, the last of the season for the Pirates.
The Pirates have experimented with Cruz in left field, but he still plays mostly shortstop. Expect him to play there immediately every day for the top division as they have been among the worst sides in the league at that position this season.