The Dominican winter league had it’s first full day of action on Saturday night. Pablo Reyes and Edwin Espinal made their first starts, while the rosters for the Dominican were finally released. Besides Espinal, Reyes and Jung-Ho Kang, four other Pirates were on active rosters, though that doesn’t mean they will play. Edgar Santana, Montana DuRapau, Miguel Rosario and Anderson Feliz are also on current rosters. Other players could join rosters throughout the off-season.
Jung-Ho Kang played his second game. He went 1-for-4 Friday, driving in three runs. He had three plays in the field and committed an error over at third base. On Saturday, Kang went 0-for-3 with a walk. He drew that walk in the first inning, then grounded out to shortstop in the third, followed by strikeouts in the fifth and eighth innings. He had just one play in the field.
Edwin Espinal plays on the same team as Kang. He batted two spots behind him in the lineup (and one spot ahead of Reese McGuire). Espinal will be interesting to watch for the next month. He will become a free agent this off-season if the Pirates don’t add him to the 40-man roster or re-sign him. If they only re-sign him, then he would be Rule 5 eligible. On Saturday, Espinal went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Pablo Reyes played second base for Escogido on Saturday night. He’s not a free agent this off-season, but he will be Rule 5 eligible after a solid season for Altoona. He went 1-for-5 with a single in his season debut.
Montana DuRapau also debuted and it might be one he wants to forget. He recorded one out, but not before allowing a run on a hit, two walks and a throwing error on a pick-off. The run was unearned, though it was due to his own error.
Anderson Feliz also saw his first action, though it was only as a pinch-runner.
In Venezuela, Elvis Escobar continued his fast start. He has hits in each of his first five games after going 1-for-4 on Saturday. He had a single, walk, sacrifice fly, run scored and an outfield assist.
In Mexico, Carlos Munoz went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt and he was hit by a pitch.
