Oneil Cruz

Oneil Cruz's Biography

Oneil Cruz, a Dominican Republic native born on October 4, 1998, is a professional athlete renowned for his skills as a baseball shortstop and center fielder. His current team is the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise for which he made his first MLB appearance in 2021.

Cruz’s journey to professional baseball began in 2015 when he got his first contract. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed him as an international free agent, and with it, he earned a $950,000 signing bonus. The following year proved to be an auspicious one for him as he launched his professional debut alongside DSL Dodgers 1. His performance in the initial 55 games was a reflection of his prowess; he batted an impressive .294, which resulted in 23 runs batted in (RBI).

In 2017, Cruz started the season playing alongside the Great Lakes Loons. On July 31 of the same year, his career took an interesting turn. As part of a strategic move, the Dodgers traded Cruz and Angel German to the Pittsburgh Pirates, hoping to secure Tony Watson in return. Subsequently, Cruz was stationed with the West Virginia Power. He successfully managed to secure 10 home runs and 44 RBI in the 105 games he played that year with both teams.

Cruz reprised his role with the West Virginia Power in 2018. That period was successful, with Cruz batting .286, hitting 14 home runs, and contributing 56 RBI over the course of 103 games. His performance had gained him a well-deserved recognition, as he was given South Atlantic League All-Star honors.

Describing his journey further, in 2019, Cruz started off playing at the High-A level with the Bradenton Marauders. However, his journey was paused for a while as he suffered a right foot fracture by the end of April, leading him to miss two months of the season.

Following his recovery, the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates welcomed him, and he soon got another promotion to the Double-A Altoona Curve by July’s end. By the end of that year, Cruz averaged a .298 hit in the 73 games he played amongst the three teams. The Pirates took the decision to accommodate him in their 40-man roster to protect him in the Rule 5 draft on November 20, 2019.

2020 proved to be a challenging year. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season, and Cruz could not participate in a single game that season. Regardless, he dominated the 2021 season, splitting his time between Altoona and the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, and excelling in his performance.

He took his first step into the Major Leagues on October 2, 2021, when he played his MLB debut. In two Major League games that season, Cruz managed to hit his first career home run on October 3. Although he didn’t make the team after spring training in 2022, he started his year at Triple-A Indianapolis. He made a praiseworthy season debut on June 20 against the Chicago Cubs and was recalled for the same.

An interesting event marked August 24, 2022, when Cruz hit the hardest-hit ball recorded since Statcast’s inception against a pitch from Atlanta Braves’ Kyle Wright. The ball speed was a staggering 122.4 mph. However, 2023 proved to be daunting when Cruz suffered a severe leg injury after fracturing his left fibula in an incident while sliding into home plate on April 10. The expected recovery time was four months, but the setbacks meant Cruz was out for the entire season.

Following his recovery in 2024, the Pirates’ manager, Derek Shelton, announced a shift for Cruz to center field. Off the field, Cruz comes from a sporting background; his father, Rafael Cruz, was a minor leaguer. His name was inspired by Paul O’Neill, the former New York Yankees outfielder who was dearly liked by his father.

Concerning his personal life, Cruz survived a tragic vehicular accident on September 22, 2020, in the Dominican Republic. His Jeep collided with a motorcycle, resulting in the unfortunate demise of the three individuals on the motorcycle.

Besides his professional feats and personal experiences, Cruz’s physicality is noteworthy. Listed at 6’7″ and weighing 215 pounds, he stands unusually tall for his position as a shortstop, a stature comparable only to Joel Guzmán and four other 6’5″ professional players. This physical attribute, combined with his professional skills, adds to his uniqueness in Major League Baseball.