MLB analyst on Pittsburgh Pirates Oneil Cruz: "As far as tools go, Cruz’s only peer is Shohei Ohtani"
Oneil Cruz shot to prominence in 2022 and is now being compared to former American League MVP Shohei Ohtani.
Both players are unique in their own right. Shohei Ohtani is a rarity. He is the only player in the league that dominates as a pitcher and hitter. O'Neil is a 6-foot-7 shortstop with tantalizing speed, a powerful swing and an arm most centerfielders would envy. He is unique in his own way.
For those that aren't aware, Oneil Cruz is one of the league's rising stars. There are high expectations for the young Dominican. At 24 years old, there is still plenty of time for him to develop.
Last season, Cruz showed glimpses of his brilliance on the field. That was enough for columnist Justice delos Santos to draw comparisons with the mighty Shohei Ohtani:
""As far as tools go, Cruz’s only peer is Shohei Ohtani"
Per a recent article in MLB by Santos, he believes that Ohtani and Cruz have a range of skillsets. Both players possess power, strength, speed and a rocket for an arm. They can both hit, hit with power, and hit all over the ballpark.
BASES CLEARING DOUBLE FOR THE FIRST HIT OF THE SEASON FOR ONEIL CRUZ
https://t.co/4bnlG9tUFG
"BASES CLEARING DOUBLE FOR THE FIRST HIT OF THE SEASON FOR ONEIL CRUZ" - Ben Verlander
Last season, Cruz finished with a .233/.294/.450 slash line and a .744 OPS with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He recorded 17 home runs and 54 RBIs.
Rising star Oneil Cruz is drawing comparisons to 2021 American League MVP Shohei Ohtani
Cruz holds two outstanding records in the majors. Last year, he threw the hardest ball by any infielder in the Statcast era (97.8 mph). He also holds the record for the hardest hit ball in the Statcast era (122.4 mph). Quite an achievement considering he is yet to reach his 25th birthday.
Oneil Cruz hits one 122.4 mph!
That's the hardest hit ball of the Statcast era! https://t.co/WuZchlYLko
"Oneil Cruz hits one 122.4 mph! That's the hardest hit ball of the Statcast era!" - Talkin' Baseball
Whether Oneil will reach the heights of Ohtani is yet to be determined. What we do know for certain is that he is one of the most unorthadox shortstops we have seen. His height, combined with his speed and power, makes it difficult to measure his ceiling.
Baseball is better with players like Cruz in the game. Hopefully, he can continue to improve and develop into one of MLB's top players.