Oneil Cruz

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #1 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Cruz tests the imagination of evaluators and scouts alike. He first worked out for clubs as a 15-year-old amateur standing at 6-foot-1 in 2015 and signed with the Dodgers for $950,000, but he grew nearly six inches before making his pro debut the following year. The Dodgers traded him to the Pirates for Tony Watson at the 2017 trade deadline. Cruz has been something of a baseball unicorn since as a 6-foot-7 shortstop, inviting annual skepticism that, at some point, a position change is necessary. Yet the immensely talented Cruz continues to stave off such a decision. He spent most of 2021 manning shortstop at Double-A Altoona, where his .530 slugging percentage ranked ninth among all Double-A Northeast hitters with at least 200 plate appearances. Cruz missed nearly seven weeks with a forearm injury, but he made a brief stop in Triple-A after returning and was summoned to Pittsburgh in October. He dazzled in a two-game cameo, homering in his second game while also becoming the tallest starting shortstop in MLB history.
  
  Scouting Report: Cruz boasts plus power, speed and throwing ability and has a legitimate chance to stick in the infield. He possesses otherworldly raw power, generating elite exit velocities with the leverage created by his long levers. Cruz already owns the Pirates’ record for exit velocity in the Statcast era—a 118.2 mph single in his debut—and is capable of producing 30-homer seasons at his peak. He’ll always battle strikeouts, and his swings and misses are sometimes exacerbated by his aggressive approach. He walked just 7.2% of the time with Altoona, and pitchers can exploit both the inherent length of his swing and his eagerness. There are times pitchers can catch Cruz guessing while hunting specific pitches, but he showed an ability to make adjustments in his approach within an at-bat. Cruz easily has a plus arm, but there is less consensus on where he should deploy it. The Pirates believe Cruz has the ingredients to stick at shortstop, citing his smooth hands and surprisingly deft infield actions. He will always face concerns about his range and ability to handle the demands of the position over a full season, but increased shifting could mitigate some of those worries. Some of his 16 errors came from rushing his throwing mechanics. Cruz is also a plus runner, leading to speculation about a long-term home in either center or right field, but he has yet to appear in the outfield outside of practice settings.
  
  The Future: The Pirates will give Cruz a chance to win the starting shortstop job out of spring training. While he needs refinement, and the development of other players may ultimately dictate his position, Cruz has the highest impact potential of any player in the system and has one of baseball’s most dynamic skill sets.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #2 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 50. Power: 70. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Cruz signed with the Dodgers for $950,000 in 2015 and was traded to the Pirates two years later for Tony Watson. He cemented his status as the most athletic and dynamic prospect in the Pirates’ system during his ascent to Double-A in 2019 and spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site. He was arrested in his native Dominican Republic in September for allegedly driving under the influence in a car crash that killed three people.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Although it might seem odd to see a 6-foot-7 player at shortstop, Cruz can handle the position. He has plus speed and moves around well at short despite his height. Cruz has a plus arm and the Pirates have better infield options, so he may end up in right field in the future. Cruz is a dynamic prospect due to his elite raw power that comes from his long arms and strength in his hands and wrists. He’s hit for average in the minors, but because of his lanky body and long levers, there are long-term concerns about whether pitchers will find holes in his strike zone to exploit.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cruz faces up to five years in prison if convicted. If he’s able to play, he has the tools to anchor the middle of the Pirates’ lineup with power and speed.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #3 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The Dodgers originally signed Cruz for $950,000 in 2015. The Pirates were interested in Cruz at the time and ended up getting him two years later for Tony Watson at the trade deadline. He broke out with mesmerizing power displays at low Class A West Virginia in 2018 and overcame a right foot fracture to reach Double-A in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cruz has a lot of solid tools to work with and the highest ceiling of anyone in the Pirates' system, though he also is the hardest to project. At 6-foot-7, Cruz is unusually tall for shortstop, though he is a plus runner with surprising dexterity to play the position. Scouts are mixed on whether he will stick at shortstop, with the safer projection being right field with his plus arm strength. Cruz's bat has fueled his rise and will be what determines his future. His hand strength and long levers give him massive raw power that some scouts grade as an 80, though with his long limbs come natural holes in his swing that lead to strikeouts. His approach is inconsistent as well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cruz will likely return to Double-A to start the 2020 season. With the right strides as a hitter, he should be batting in the middle of the Pirates' lineup by 2021.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #3 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: When the Dodgers signed Cruz, he was already tall and strong. But he has grown another two inches since signing. The Pirates were thrilled to acquire him in the 2017 trade that sent reliever Tony Watson to the Dodgers. In 2018, Cruz showed he could harness his potential by hitting .286/.343/.488 at low Class A West Virginia.
  
  Scouting Report: Cruz made massive improvements in his return to low Class A. He slashed his strikeout rate to 22.6 percent while getting to his power more regularly, largely because he showed a much better concept of what pitch he was looking for and cut down on chases out of the zone. His height and long levers mean he has a big strike zone, but Cruz has near top-of-the-scale raw power to go with excellent athleticism. He has a plus-plus arm and surprising speed. There has never been a 6-foot-6 major league shortstop, and Cruz likely won't change that, but he showed improvement in his ability to chop his feet and get down to grounders. He projects as an above-average defender at third base or right field with 20 homer-20 steal potential.
  
  The Future: Cruz is ready for high Class A Bradenton. He's a risky prospect, but one with all-star potential.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #22 prospect in 2018
  Cruz stood 6-foot-1 at age 15, but he had shot up to 6-foot-4 by the time he signed with the Dodgers for $950,000 as a 16-year-old. He now has grown to 6-foot-6. The extra length forced him to move from shortstop to third base, but it also helped him add power, which was a big reason why the Pirates were intrigued by him and took him as part of the trade that sent reliever Tony Watson to the Dodgers in July 2017. Cruz hit a combined 10 home runs in his first season in the U.S., but he also struck out 132 times. He remains a fairly raw player but has two eye-opening tools--his power and throwing arm. His frame is still long and lean, but he shows power to all fields and can hit moonshots when he pulls the ball. He has a plus arm, good range at third base and good athleticism overall. He's still clearly growing into his body, and he isn't advanced as a hitter, but he shows signs of aptitude at the plate and can shorten his swing when needed. Cruz will play the entire 2018 season as a 19-year-old and figures to center his effort at low Class A West Virginia.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #27 prospect in 2017
  Cruz is a great example of the challenges unique to international scouting. As a 15-year-old working out for clubs in the Dominican Republic, Cruz was a 6-foot-1 shortstop. By the time he signed with the Dodgers for $950,000 as a 16-year-old, Cruz had shot up to 6-foot-4. He grew taller after signing, and by the time the 2016 Dominican Summer League season began, he was pushing 6-foot-6. Cruz spent time at shortstop but was mostly a third baseman in the DSL. Cruz is a good athlete for his size and has natural feel for hitting with a loose, handsy swing and good barrel control for a lanky, long-armed hitter. In batting practice, Cruz shows plus raw power with loft and leverage. In games, he mostly hits groundballs because he's still learning to sync up his swing with his new long levers. That should come with experience, with the power potential to hit 20-plus home runs. He's an average runner who might slow down, though getting stronger should help his coordination. He's too big for short, and while he has a plus arm and plays under control at third, he might end up too big for the infield. If he moves to the outfield, his tools would fit in right. Cruz will make his U.S. debut at one of the Dodgers' Rookie-level affiliates in 2017.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Eastern League #7 prospect in 2021
  League managers walked away impressed by Cruz this year. At least those who got to see him felt that way. A physical specimen at 6-foot-7, 210 pounds, Cruz missed seven weeks due to what the Pirates described as a mild right forearm strain, but he didn’t seem to miss a beat upon coming back, racking up seven multi-hit games after his Aug. 20 return. Preseason plans to get Cruz some time in center field ultimately never materialized, and evaluators varied in their concern about his ability to stick at shortstop at his height. One evaluator believed the lanky Cruz may end up as a corner outfielder, though that was not the consensus. Opposing managers spoke glowingly about Cruz’s confidence at the plate, with several using the term “game changer” to describe the impact he’ll make in the big leagues with his power potential.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #7 prospect in 2019
  Cruz, who was dealt from the Dodgers to the Pirates in 2017, is somewhat of a baseball unicorn. He’s 6-foot-6 yet plays shortstop, and many evaluators believe he can stay there long-term. He’s not a slam dunk to remain at the position, but the ingredients are there. "If there’s ever a 6-foot-6 guy who can play shortstop, it’s this guy,” one scout said. "His hands and feet are there. He’s light on his feet and he has a strong arm and graceful movements.” There are going to be questions about how much his extremely long levers will open holes for pitchers as he moves to the upper levels—though he doubled his FSL walk rate (5.5 percent) in a near-even sample at Double-A Altoona—but the .274 career average he’s produced thus far adds a level of optimism about his future hit tool. His raw power is tremendous, with one scout pegging it as a possible 80-grade tool, but he hasn’t quite learned to harness it in games. Cruz’s future has a wide range of outcomes, but his ceiling is as high as nearly any player on this list.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #4 prospect in 2018
  Not many shortstops look like Cruz. Lanky and 6-foot-6, he has more of a small forward's body. Cruz also stands out for his combination of tools and potential. In a second season in low Class A, Cruz finished fifth in the SAL with a .291 average and posted double-digit home runs (14) and steals (11). Scouts are more confident in his power potential than his ability to hit for average, because he's an aggressive hitter with long levers, which leads to an unavoidably longer swing path. But when he connects, he has all-fields power. Scouts see plus-plus raw power in Cruz and at least 25-home run potential. Where Cruz ends up defensively is open to debate. Few expect he can stay at shortstop because of his size, but he has a rifle of an arm and the body control to potentially be a plus defender at third base or right field. He takes time to get up to speed, but he's an average runner.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #14 prospect in 2022
• Ranked Baseball America's #50 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #57 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #79 prospect in 2019

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Cruz tests the imagination of evaluators and scouts alike. He first worked out for clubs as a 15-year-old amateur standing at 6-foot-1 in 2015 and signed with the Dodgers for $950,000, but he grew nearly six inches before making his pro debut the following year. The Dodgers traded him to the Pirates for Tony Watson at the 2017 trade deadline. Cruz has been something of a baseball unicorn since as a 6-foot-7 shortstop, inviting annual skepticism that, at some point, a position change is necessary. Yet the immensely talented Cruz continues to stave off such a decision. He spent most of 2021 manning shortstop at Double-A Altoona, where his .530 slugging percentage ranked ninth among all Double-A Northeast hitters with at least 200 plate appearances. Cruz missed nearly seven weeks with a forearm injury, but he made a brief stop in Triple-A after returning and was summoned to Pittsburgh in October. He dazzled in a two-game cameo, homering in his second game while also becoming the tallest starting shortstop in MLB history.
  
  Scouting Report: Cruz boasts plus power, speed and throwing ability and has a legitimate chance to stick in the infield. He possesses otherworldly raw power, generating elite exit velocities with the leverage created by his long levers. Cruz already owns the Pirates’ record for exit velocity in the Statcast era—a 118.2 mph single in his debut—and is capable of producing 30-homer seasons at his peak. He’ll always battle strikeouts, and his swings and misses are sometimes exacerbated by his aggressive approach. He walked just 7.2% of the time with Altoona, and pitchers can exploit both the inherent length of his swing and his eagerness. There are times pitchers can catch Cruz guessing while hunting specific pitches, but he showed an ability to make adjustments in his approach within an at-bat. Cruz easily has a plus arm, but there is less consensus on where he should deploy it. The Pirates believe Cruz has the ingredients to stick at shortstop, citing his smooth hands and surprisingly deft infield actions. He will always face concerns about his range and ability to handle the demands of the position over a full season, but increased shifting could mitigate some of those worries. Some of his 16 errors came from rushing his throwing mechanics. Cruz is also a plus runner, leading to speculation about a long-term home in either center or right field, but he has yet to appear in the outfield outside of practice settings.
  
  The Future: The Pirates will give Cruz a chance to win the starting shortstop job out of spring training. While he needs refinement, and the development of other players may ultimately dictate his position, Cruz has the highest impact potential of any player in the system and has one of baseball’s most dynamic skill sets.
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  League managers walked away impressed by Cruz this year. At least those who got to see him felt that way. A physical specimen at 6-foot-7, 210 pounds, Cruz missed seven weeks due to what the Pirates described as a mild right forearm strain, but he didn’t seem to miss a beat upon coming back, racking up seven multi-hit games after his Aug. 20 return. Preseason plans to get Cruz some time in center field ultimately never materialized, and evaluators varied in their concern about his ability to stick at shortstop at his height. One evaluator believed the lanky Cruz may end up as a corner outfielder, though that was not the consensus. Opposing managers spoke glowingly about Cruz’s confidence at the plate, with several using the term “game changer” to describe the impact he’ll make in the big leagues with his power potential.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 70. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Cruz signed with the Dodgers for $950,000 in 2015 and was traded to the Pirates two years later for Tony Watson. He cemented his status as the most athletic and dynamic prospect in the Pirates' system during his ascent to Double-A in 2019 and spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site. In September, he was involved in a car crash that killed three people.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Although it might seem odd to see a 6-foot-7 player at shortstop, Cruz can handle the position. He has plus speed and moves around well at short despite his height. Cruz has a plus arm and the Pirates have better infield options, so he may end up in right field in the future. Cruz is a dynamic prospect due to his elite raw power that comes from his long arms and strength in his hands and wrists. He's hit for average in the minors, but because of his lanky body and long levers, there are long-term concerns about whether pitchers will find holes in his strike zone to exploit.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cruz has the tools to anchor the middle of the Pirates' lineup with power and speed.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 70. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Cruz signed with the Dodgers for $950,000 in 2015 and was traded to the Pirates two years later for Tony Watson. He cemented his status as the most athletic and dynamic prospect in the Pirates’ system during his ascent to Double-A in 2019 and spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site. He was arrested in his native Dominican Republic in September for allegedly driving under the influence in a car crash that killed three people.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Although it might seem odd to see a 6-foot-7 player at shortstop, Cruz can handle the position. He has plus speed and moves around well at short despite his height. Cruz has a plus arm and the Pirates have better infield options, so he may end up in right field in the future. Cruz is a dynamic prospect due to his elite raw power that comes from his long arms and strength in his hands and wrists. He’s hit for average in the minors, but because of his lanky body and long levers, there are long-term concerns about whether pitchers will find holes in his strike zone to exploit.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cruz faces up to five years in prison if convicted. If he’s able to play, he has the tools to anchor the middle of the Pirates’ lineup with power and speed.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 70. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Cruz signed with the Dodgers for $950,000 in 2015 and was traded to the Pirates two years later for Tony Watson. He cemented his status as the most athletic and dynamic prospect in the Pirates’ system during his ascent to Double-A in 2019 and spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site. He was arrested in his native Dominican Republic in September for allegedly driving under the influence in a car crash that killed three people.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Although it might seem odd to see a 6-foot-7 player at shortstop, Cruz can handle the position. He has plus speed and moves around well at short despite his height. Cruz has a plus arm and the Pirates have better infield options, so he may end up in right field in the future. Cruz is a dynamic prospect due to his elite raw power that comes from his long arms and strength in his hands and wrists. He’s hit for average in the minors, but because of his lanky body and long levers, there are long-term concerns about whether pitchers will find holes in his strike zone to exploit.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cruz faces up to five years in prison if convicted. If he’s able to play, he has the tools to anchor the middle of the Pirates’ lineup with power and speed.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Dodgers originally signed Cruz for $950,000 in 2015. The Pirates were interested in Cruz at the time and ended up getting him two years later for Tony Watson at the trade deadline. He broke out with mesmerizing power displays at low Class A West Virginia in 2018 and overcame a right foot fracture to reach Double-A in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cruz has a lot of solid tools to work with and the highest ceiling of anyone in the Pirates’ system, though he also is the hardest to project. At 6-foot-7, Cruz is unusually tall for shortstop, though he is a plus runner with surprising dexterity to play the position. Scouts are mixed on whether he will stick at shortstop, with the safer projection being right field with his plus arm strength. Cruz’s bat has fueled his rise and will be what determines his future. His hand strength and long levers give him massive raw power that some scouts grade as an 80, though with his long limbs come natural holes in his swing that lead to strikeouts. His approach is inconsistent as well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cruz will likely return to Double-A to start the 2020 season. With the right strides as a hitter, he should be batting in the middle of the Pirates’ lineup by 2021.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Dodgers originally signed Cruz for $950,000 in 2015. The Pirates were interested in Cruz at the time and ended up getting him two years later for Tony Watson at the trade deadline. He broke out with mesmerizing power displays at low Class A West Virginia in 2018 and overcame a right foot fracture to reach Double-A in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cruz has a lot of solid tools to work with and the highest ceiling of anyone in the Pirates' system, though he also is the hardest to project. At 6-foot-7, Cruz is unusually tall for shortstop, though he is a plus runner with surprising dexterity to play the position. Scouts are mixed on whether he will stick at shortstop, with the safer projection being right field with his plus arm strength. Cruz's bat has fueled his rise and will be what determines his future. His hand strength and long levers give him massive raw power that some scouts grade as an 80, though with his long limbs come natural holes in his swing that lead to strikeouts. His approach is inconsistent as well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Cruz will likely return to Double-A to start the 2020 season. With the right strides as a hitter, he should be batting in the middle of the Pirates' lineup by 2021.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Cruz, who was dealt from the Dodgers to the Pirates in 2017, is somewhat of a baseball unicorn. He’s 6-foot-6 yet plays shortstop, and many evaluators believe he can stay there long-term. He’s not a slam dunk to remain at the position, but the ingredients are there. "If there’s ever a 6-foot-6 guy who can play shortstop, it’s this guy,” one scout said. "His hands and feet are there. He’s light on his feet and he has a strong arm and graceful movements.” There are going to be questions about how much his extremely long levers will open holes for pitchers as he moves to the upper levels—though he doubled his FSL walk rate (5.5 percent) in a near-even sample at Double-A Altoona—but the .274 career average he’s produced thus far adds a level of optimism about his future hit tool. His raw power is tremendous, with one scout pegging it as a possible 80-grade tool, but he hasn’t quite learned to harness it in games. Cruz’s future has a wide range of outcomes, but his ceiling is as high as nearly any player on this list.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  When the Pirates acquired the 6-foot-7 Cruz last season in the trade that sent Tony Watson to the Dodgers, he was the rawest of raw talents. In 2018, he has begun to show what he’s capable of when he has some direction. He developed an approach at the plate beyond his grip-it-and-rip-it philosophy of 2017 and became one of the most productive hitters in the South Atlantic League. Defensively, he doesn’t have a long-term obvious home yet, but he shows range and remarkable arm strength at short. He struggles to sync up his long-limbed body at times, which has led to 28 errors in just over half a season, but he’s improving in that regard daily.