Baseball’s Billion-Person Cactus League

Gift Ngoepe was the first African-born player to make it to the big show. Major League Baseball is betting he won’t be the last.

Sep 20, 2017 · 8 min read

Gift Ngoepe #61 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park on May 31, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Gift Ngoepe #61 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park on May 31, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

By Greg Presto

When Gift Ngoepe jogged onto the infield at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park for the first time, the Pirates rookie’s heart was racing — and in his…

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