2022 NL Rookie of the Year odds: Favored Oneil Cruz of Pirates will play some outfield in addition to shortstop (Fantasy ramifications!)

At this point last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes was the +325 betting favorite to win 2021 NL Rookie of the Year honors. Hayes had a disappointing, injury-plagued season and didn't receive a single ROY vote. For the second straight spring, though, the Pirates have the NL rookie favorite, this time in shortstop Oneil Cruz. He's +400 at Caesars Sportsbook, ahead of the Cubs' Seiya Suzuki (+500).

When is the last time a player at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds played shortstop everyday in the majors? Well, never. Yet, that's the 23-year-old Cruz's primary spot, although potentially good news for Fantasy owners of Cruz: He will also play in the outfield some.

"The fact that PNC plays so big, you'll probably see him in left field first because of how athletic he is. But I think he's athletic enough that he can play any of the three," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said on Wednesday.

MLB.com ranks Cruz, who bats lefty and throws right, as the No. 26 overall prospect in the majors. Across three levels of the minors last season, the Pirates' No. 3 prospect hit .311 with 18 home runs and 19 stolen bases in just 70 games. Cruz did get a very brief cup of coffee with the Pirates late in 2021 and was 3-for-9 with a homer, three RBIs, two runs scored and four strikeouts in two games. Cruz has plus-plus power. Cruz became the tallest Pirates position player in team history and the tallest shortstop to start a game in AL/NL history.

He originally signed with the Dodgers for $950,000 in 2015 out of the Dominican Republic and was acquired by Pittsburgh for Tony Watson at the 2017 Trade Deadline. Just about every scout expects the Bucs to move Cruz off shortstop eventually simply because of his big frame.

It's not clear if Pittsburgh will allow Cruz to open the season in the majors – teams keeping players down for service-time reasons was not really addressed that much in the new CBA. If the Pirates kept him in the majors from Opening Day until the end of the season, Cruz would be ticketed for free agency after the 2027 season. If they kept him down a few weeks in April, they'd gain an extra year of control.

Johnny Newman is likely to be the team's Opening Day shortstop for the third year in a row. Cruz could use some defensive seasoning as he made 13 errors in 54 games at short last season with Double-A Altoona.

"I think there's still development to be had there," Shelton said. "Oneil is gonna have an impact on our club this year at some point. When that is, I don't think any of us know. But the fact that he's gonna play multiple positions, he's continuing to learn to swing the bat, and there is development there."

Pittsburgh opens April 7 in St. Louis. The lone Pirate to win NL Rookie of the Year was Jason Bay in 2004 -- hard to believe that considering some of the Hall of Famers (and Barry Bonds) who have played for the Bucs. 

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