Pittsburgh Pirates Dominican Winter League Update

Three prominent Pittsburgh Pirates players are playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic this offseason. How are each of them performing thus far?

Every offseason players from accross Major League Baseball participate in the Dominican Winter League. This offseason, there are three prominent members of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization playing baseball in the DR. These three players are Gregory Polanco, Oneil Cruz and Edgar Santana.

As we had previously covered here at Rum Bunter, both Polanco and Cruz got off to slow starts in the DR. However, for varying reasons, it was important for each of them to just be logging game reps and at-bats against live, in game pitching.

Polanco, despite flashing some power, is continuing to struggle. He is slashling .197/.276/.342 with two home runs, three doubles and a triple in 87 plate appearances across 21 games. What’s important for Polanco, however, is just to be getting as many at-bats and game reps as possible after playing in just 92 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates since September of 2018.

While Cruz’s overall numbers are not what he would like, he has started to heat up in the DR. He’s slashing .262/.262/.381. He’s hit one double, two triples, and is still searching for his first home run. These results have come in 42 plate appearances for Cruz in just 11 games after he missed time due to an injury.

Santana, like Polanco, is just in need of game reps. After missing the entire 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery and all of 2020 due to a PED suspension, Santana will be looking to bounce back with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021.

So far this winter Santana has logged 3.2 innings in five games pitched. Santana has allowed two earned runs (4.91 ERA) on six hits, two walks, he’s hit a batter, and has struck out three. Santana has not allowed a home run in his 3.2 innings of work.

While none of these three players have yet to find the results they were hoping for in the DR, that is not what playing winter ball is about. Playing winter ball is about giving players the opportunity to hone their craft and, as is the case with all three of these players, make up for lost at-bats and game reps from previous seasons.