Pirates prospect Oneil Cruz was involved in an accident that killed three people in his native Dominican Republic, according to reports.
It occurred Monday, according to Dominican newspaper Diario Libre. That’s when an alleged “collision” occurred “after curfew” between Cruz and a motorcycle apparently carrying three people, all of whom died.
The report says Cruz, 21, was driving a Jeep, and the motorcycle was traveling in the same direction, in the left lane, and with no lights. According to a source, there’s no indication that alcohol was involved. A second source said Cruz suffered no serious injuries.
The Pirates on Tuesday issued a statement saying they were aware of the situation.
“The Pirates are aware of the tragic accident in the Dominican Republic involving Oneil Cruz,” Pirates senior vice president of communications Brian Warecki wrote on behalf of the organization. “We have been in contact with Oneil and he is cooperating fully with the local authorities. We will provide an update as more information becomes available.”
Cruz is considered the Pirates’ third-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, slotting behind 2020 first-round pick Nick Gonzales and Ke’Bryan Hayes, who made his MLB debut this season.
Cruz, a shortstop, was training in Class AA Altoona this season before that camp disbanded last week. Last season across three levels, Cruz slashed .298/.356/.475 with eight home runs, 34 RBIs, 35 runs and an .832 OPS.
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