There are very few prospects in baseball with as much raw power as Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz.
On Friday, he showed off that pop in a big way.
Cruz came to bat with two runners on base and the Altoona Curve trailing the Akron Rubber Ducks 3-1 in the fifth.
That all changed after he did this:
🚨🚨 @OneilCruz4 demolishes a 3-run bomb to take the lead! 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/67biTOi1rM
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) June 12, 2021
That gargantuan blast, according to the Curve’s broadcast, traveled 463 feet and had an exit velocity of 120 mph.
Since the start of Statcast in 2015, the only Major-League players who have hit a ball with an exit velocity of at least 120 mph are Giancarlo Stanton (10 times), Gary Sanchez (once) and Aaron Judge (once).
The Pirates’ No. 4 prospect has been tearing up Class AA this year, slashing .286/.355/.554 with seven home runs, five doubles, a pair of triples and 25 RBIs. There have been some concerns with his defense at shortstop – he has made nine errors this season – but he has not done any outfield work since returning to Altoona.
The Pirates have continuously said they would give Cruz every opportunity to prove he is a shortstop. He got some playing time in the outfield during spring training and at the alternate site last season, but has not played an inning at that position in a competitive game.
But the bat is the most important tool for Cruz, and so far, he has shown off that power in Altoona. So much so that a call-up to Class AAA Indianapolis could be in the cards soon. While he spent all of last season at the alternate site, he did not make the jump in level like some other players who were in Altoona last year did.
Cruz is already on the Pirates’ 40-man roster and is in his second of three option seasons.
