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First Pitch: Oneil Cruz and Prospect Stars

The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling up Oneil Cruz.

At this point, the window for Super Two has likely passed, which means that if Cruz is up for good, he will be under control through 2028, with arbitration starting in 2026.

A new factor added in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement ties Cruz’s service time to the Rookie of the Year voting. If Cruz finishes in the top two of the voting, he gets a full year of service time this year.

That would essentially shave a year of control from the current projection, making Cruz a free agent after the 2027 season, and making his first arbitration year in 2025.