Winter League Notes — Brayan Pena smacks three home runs

Several Royals players are staying warm this winter in the Caribbean. The goal isn’t just to stay out of this current snowstorm that’s hitting Kansas City…these Royals are staying sharp by playing winter league baseball.

Last night, Royals catcher Brayan Pena belted three home runs for Cibao in the Dominican Republic. That’s half of his 2008 total with the Omaha Royals. Pena has 18 career minor league home runs in 2,003 at-bats and two Major League home runs in 127 at-bats with the Braves. He is batting .346 with 8 home runs and 33 RBI in 34 winter contests. Pena, claimed off waivers from the Braves on May 30, is currently on the Royals 40-man roster.

A few other notes from the Caribbean:

* Esteban German is third in the Dominican Winter League with a .355 average.

* Tony Pena, Jr. is batting .294 with a .373 on-base percentage for Cibaenas in the Dominican.

* Robinson Tejeda, teaming with German on Azucareros del Este, has 25 strikeouts in 23.2 innings.

* Minor leaguer Dusty Hughes is 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA over 34.0 IP for Escogido in the Dominican.

* Mike Aviles is batting .302 with Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Mike’s club is managed by his uncle, Ramon Aviles, who played in the Majors in 1977 and 1979-81 with Boston and Philadelphia.

Photo credit: Gregory Bull/AP

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