Based on his tools and physical skills alone, Oneil Cruz is one of the most talented players in baseball. Few players can run faster, hit the ball longer or throw a ball harder. His rare combination of size, speed and strength is impressive.
And yet, after five seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he’s still trying to put it all together. He’s never made an All-Star team or received an MVP vote. He led the National League in steals last season and popped 20 homers, but he also batted .200 and struck out 174 times.
Cruz is a good, sometimes great player, but he’s also flawed and has holes in his game. The towering outfielder is working on fixing those issues heading into his age-27 season.
During his appearance on MLB Network with Ben Cherington on Tuesday, Pirates manager Don Kelly revealed what he thinks Cruz needs to do to reach the next level.
“He’s working hard this offseason, continuing to be consistent in his approach,” Kelly said. “You know how hard it is to play in this league, the adjustments that the pitching makes. It’s really tough. He’s getting older, but he’s still a younger player and continuing to adjust back to the league that’s adjusted to him pretty well.”
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While Cruz has played five seasons, he’s still relatively inexperienced, as his first three years were partial seasons. He’s only played two full seasons and has just 379 Major League games under his belt — a relatively small number for a player his age.
Cruz tailed off last season after a strong start, managing just four home runs and a .566 OPS after the All-Star Break. Like Kelly said, staying consistent and making his own adjustments will be key for Cruz if he’s going to reach his full potential and become a force in Pittsburgh’s lineup.
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