Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz has received a surprising outlook heading into the 2026 MLB season.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz has probably been one of the bigger disappointments in baseball over the last several years.
Cruz entered the big leagues as a shortstop back in 2021, and coming in at 6-foot-7, 250 pounds with tremendous athleticism, he was an anomaly.
Huge things were expected from Cruz, but instead, the former top prospect struggled so much defensively that he was moved to the outfield, and his bat has yet to really come around in spite of the clear power.
However, Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter still has hope for Cruz, ranking him 12th among center fielders heading into 2026.
"Cruz is overflowing with raw talent, and there's a lot to like about a 20-homer, 38-steal season," Reuter wrote. "His strikeout rate (32.0%) and whiff rate (34.0%) were among the worst in baseball, but he quietly improved his walk rate from 8.5 to 11.8 percent, which is a sign he's still growing as a hitter. There is also potential for improvement defensively in what will be his second full season in the outfield."
Cruz slashed .200/.298/.378 in 2025, marking the worst showing of his major-league career to date.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz. Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.The season prior, the 27-year-old had shown signs of finally breaking out, slashing .259/.324/.449 with 21 home runs and 76 RBI, but he came crashing back down to earth last year as the Pirates' offense scuffled as a whole.
Trade rumors swirled around Cruz at the deadline last summer, and going into the offseason, the speculation continued. However, Pittsburgh ultimately opted to hold on to the Dominican native, who, by the way, has been mashing in the World Baseball Classic.
Perhaps there is still reason for optimism with Cruz given that he has really only played two full big-league campaigns, but there is also little doubt that 2026 may be his last chance to prove himself in Steel City.
The Pirates have been patient with Cruz thus far, but at some point, they are going to get tired of waiting for him to break through.
If Cruz struggles again during the first half of the season, it would not be surprising to see Pittsburgh finally place him on the trade block.
The Pirates will open up on the road against the New York Mets on March 26.
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