Oneil Cruz

Oneil Cruz posted a typical Cruz statline in 2025, slashing just .200/.298/.378 in 544 PAs but providing 20 HR and 38 steals. His physical skills are off the charts, including a 100th-percentile average exit velocity and bat speed, a 97th-percentile barrel%, and a 93rd-percentile Sprint Speed. Cruz's .262 BABIP is also due for positive regression as his 14.6 LD% headsread more...

Oneil Cruz posted a typical Cruz statline in 2025, slashing just .200/.298/.378 in 544 PAs but providing 20 HR and 38 steals. His physical skills are off the charts, including a 100th-percentile average exit velocity and bat speed, a 97th-percentile barrel%, and a 93rd-percentile Sprint Speed. Cruz's .262 BABIP is also due for positive regression as his 14.6 LD% heads toward his career mark of 16.4. Sadly, Cruz really struggled against LHP last season (.102/.224/.176 with a homer in 125 PAs), and there is talk of platooning the 27-year-old in 2026. Cruz is contact-challenged as well, posting a 32 K% and 13.3 SwStr% in 2025. Optimists can point to career bests in chase rate (27.8 percent) and BB% (11.8) as evidence that his plate discipline is improving, but he still struck out way too often despite those gains. Pittsburgh should have a better lineup this year with the additions of Brandon Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna, but the new guys have knocked Cruz down to sixth in Pittsburgh's projected lineup. Cruz has first-round ability but questionable playing time and contact skills, making his 96.21 ADP feel a little rich.less...