Gregory Polanco

Polanco competed in showcases, and played as a pitcher due to his being left-handed. He was asked to rotate to the outfield due to a shortage of players, and found that he preferred the position.[2] Polanco signed as an international free agent with the Pirates on April 11, 2009.[3]

In 2009, he played for the Dominican Pirates of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. In 2010, he played for the Gulf Coast Pirates of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (GCL), where he had a .202 batting average. In 2011, he played for the GCL Pirates and the State College Spikes, batting .237. He spent the 2012 season with the West Virginia Power of the Class A South Atlantic League. He enjoyed his best season to date, batting .325 with 16 home runs and 40 stolen bases.[2] He was named the South Atlantic League player of the year, and the Pirates' minor league player of the year.[4]

Prior to the 2013 season, Polanco was ranked as the 65th best prospect in baseball by MLB.com,[5] and as the 51st best prospect in baseball by Baseball America.[6] Polanco began the 2013 season with the Bradenton Marauders of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League. With Bradenton, Polanco batted .312 with 24 stolen bases and 30 runs batted in in 57 games, before receiving a promotion to the Altoona Curve of the Class AA Eastern League.[7] In June 2013, Baseball Prospectus ranked Polanco as the 12th best prospect in baseball.[8] Polanco, along with Dilson Herrera, represented the Pirates at the 2013 All-Star Futures Game.[9] The Pirates promoted Polanco to the Indianapolis Indians of the Class AAA International League at the end of the season. He received nine at-bats with Indianapolis.[7]

The Pirates added Polanco to their 40-man roster on November 20, 2013, to protect him from being selected by another team in the Rule 5 Draft.[10] On March 14, 2014, the Pirates optioned Polanco to Indianapolis.[2]

Polanco at PNC Park in 2015

Polanco was called up to MLB on June 9, 2014 due to an appendix injury to second baseman Neil Walker[11] and made his MLB debut on June 10 playing right field.[12] In that game, he recorded his first career MLB hit against Chicago Cubs pitcher Travis Wood, later scoring his first career MLB run. The following day, June 11, Polanco recorded his first career MLB RBI. On June 13, as part of a five-hit game, Polanco hit his first career MLB home run, a two-run shot, against the Miami Marlins in the 13th inning that would turn out to be the game winner in an 8–6 victory for the Pirates. On June 17, he became the third Pirates player—the first since Roberto Clemente in 1955—to record a hit in each of his first seven MLB appearances.[13] The following day, he became the first Pirate to hit in his first eight games.[14] Polanco struggled for a month after a good start to his career, and was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on August 25 before returning a week later as part of the expanded roster at the beginning of September.[15][16]

On April 5, 2016 the Pittsburgh Pirates announced they had reached an agreement with Polanco and his agent Rafa Nieves on a $35 million contract extension.[17]

On May 17, 2017, Polanco was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a strained left hamstring. The transaction was retroactive two days prior to the announcement.[18]

On September 12, 2018, Polanco underwent surgery on his dislocated shoulder.[19]

On July 17, 2020, it was announced that Polanco had tested positive for COVID-19.