Oneil Cruz's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings
Player profile
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HT/WT6' 7'' , 215 lbs
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Birthdate10/04/1998 (26)
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Draft InfoUndrafted
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StatusInactive
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz continued his power display during Wednesday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The young slugger belted his fifth home run of the spring during Wednesday's blowout loss. This spring, Cruz is hitting .292 with five dingers and eight RBI in 24 at-bats. The Pirates could have a breakout star on their hands if Cruz can stay healthy in 2024. This hot start to camp is certainly going to raise his status on draft boards.
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz had a big day at the plate on Sunday in a Grapefruit League game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 25-year-old went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four RBI, continuing what has been a big spring for the young infielder. Cruz is now hitting .278 with three homers, one stolen base, and a 1.187 OPS across 22 plate appearances this spring. Limited to just nine games last season due a broken ankle suffered in just his ninth game of the season in 2023, Cruz has hit .237 with 19 home runs, 13 stolen bases, and a .751 OPS across his first 410 plate appearances in the big leagues. He owns an appetizing combination of power and speed that fantasy managers should covet in drafts this spring.
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (ankle) is making his Grapefruit League debut on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles and is batting leadoff and playing shortstop. It's great to see Cruz playing in games again after he fractured his left ankle early last season. The 25-year-old's injury required season-ending surgery in 2023. Cruz is fully healthy now, though, and will be Pittsburgh's starting shortstop. His size (6-foot-7, 215 pounds) is unorthodox for a shortstop, but the left-handed-hitting Dominican has a lot of upside at a premium position if he can stay healthy for a full season. In his three years in the big leagues over 98 games (410 plate appearances), Cruz has hit .237/.302/.449 with 19 home runs, 61 RBI and 13 stolen bases. He should easily be a top-10 fantasy shortstop at the end of the year if he can avoid another injury.
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (ankle) is healthy heading into the 2024 season, according to manager Derek Shelton. "He's healthy. He's moving around. That's a really encouraging sign for everybody who's a Pirates fan," Shelton told reporters. The 25-year-old shortstop fractured his left ankle back in April of the '23 season and missed the entire year as a result. It's been a long road to recovery but he's now looking primed for the 2024 campaign. Cruz has as much upside as anyone at the SS position but injuries have plagued him so far early in his career. He has a .237/.302/.449 batting line to go along with 19 home runs, 61 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 410 plate appearances over three seasons. He's an intriguing fantasy player due to his blend of power and speed but the hype could get out of control if he remains healthy and has a solid spring training.