The two-time champions Caguas Creoles completed their roster of imported players heading into the 2022-23 winter baseball season, signing veteran outfielder Kelly Dugan.
It will be Dugan’s return to the ranks of the Criollos, the team he belonged to in the 2016-17 season.
“Kelly Dugan is a hitter who is going to help us a lot in the middle of the lineup. He is a powerful left-handed hitter and the most important thing is that he competes in all of his at-bats, ”said Jesús ‘Motorita’ Feliciano, general manager of the Criollos.
This year in the Atlantic League, Dugan hit 23 homers and drove in 69 runs in 62 games. He played nine seasons in Minor League Baseball, including one at Triple A and five at Double A.
The announcement comes a day that the Criollos also announced the signing of one of the prospects of the Boston Red Sox organization, utility Christian Koss.
Koss is the ninth player imported from the two-time champion Criollos de Caguas heading into the upcoming 2022-23 season of Puerto Rican winter baseball. Koss, who is 24 years old, is coming off his best season in double-A Minor League Baseball and promises to be a great help to the Criollos.
“He is a player that we were able to see during spring training. He is very versatile, he can play in the infield as well as in the outfield. He offensively he had the best year of his. We are bringing in a player who will have an impact on offense and defense,” Feliciano said.
In 125 Double-A games, Koss batted .260 with 127 hits. He hit 17 home runs, drove in 84 runs and stole 16 bases.
“The way the Criollos team is made up of players who can be in different positions. We are very happy because he comes from the Red Sox organization, where our manager Ramón Vázquez and coach José David Flores work”, stated Feliciano.
Koss is the second Red Sox prospect the Criollos have signed for this season. The first was shortstop/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela. The 20-time criollos champions open on November 4 at 6:15 pm, when they receive the visit of the runner-up Indios de Mayagüez, at the Yldefonso Solá Morales stadium.
The Criollos will have their first official practice tomorrow, Monday, at the Yldefonso Solá Morales stadium in Caguas, at 10:30 am. In charge of it will be the bench coach, Edgar Pérez.
