ST. LOUIS -- The Pirates announced Thursday morning that Jung Ho Kang would begin game competition with Class A Advanced Bradenton on Friday. Kang hasn't played organized baseball for the Pirates since 2016.
Kang, 31, was forced to miss the 2017 season following his third DUI arrest in South Korea in December '16. Kang was not permitted to enter the U.S. until he was issued a work visa in late April.
Manager Clint Hurdle hasn't gotten the chance to see Kang play yet, but spoke with field coordinators Brad Fischer and Gary Green about his progress.