RADIO
Oneil Cruz is a SS fantasy baseball draft sleeper, and an ADP draft value for 2024. Target Cruz as an undervalued SS in fantasy baseball drafts.
BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 56
CURRENT ADP: ~95
ANALYSIS: Did you hear that? Oneil Cruz just crushed another baseball into the stands. The Pirates' top prospect now has seven home runs this Spring!
The hype train for the Pittsburgh shortstop Oneil Cruz was flying down the tracks last season, too, only to see it come to a screeching halt just nine games in with a fractured ankle. During his 2022 call-up, it took a while to get rolling, posting an 85 wRC+ in June, 70 in July, 89 in August, then finally breaking out with a 146 wRC+ in September/October.
The final line was .233-17-54-45-10 with a .320 WOBA and 105 wRC+ in about half of a season's worth of action (361 PA, 87 games). The 35% K% from 2022 needs to come down, but he offered a glimmer of hope in the small 2023 sample, collecting seven BB to eight K in 40 PA (20.0% K%).
The fleet-footed Cruz had a 98th-percentile sprint speed in 2022, so a full season of bigger bases and limited pitcher disengagements will be exciting to watch. FGDC projections are modest, with a .251-23-64-79-19 line, a WOBA of .338, and wRC+ of 110 in only 128 G (553 PA). RotoBaller ranks the 25-year-old at 56th overall and you're going to have to be aggressive in drafts to get him as his hot Spring has certainly made his stock rise.
Oneil Cruz is at it again!
3/4 today with 2 HR and three BBE above 106 mph (two above 110)!pic.twitter.com/11AhfRKfOX
— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) March 18, 2024
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