Oneil Cruz has chance to defy Pirates history after Home Run Derby nod

Oneil Cruz is heading to this year's Home Run Derby and will join Paul Skenes as the only Pirates in Atlanta for All-Star weekend. Not many Pirates have participated in the derby over the years, giving Cruz the opportunity to make franchise history.

There have been six other Pirates who've taken swings in this event since it began in 1985. Not one has made it out of the first round. That is partially because of the old format where the batter only had 10 outs to work with in each round. Now there is a timer, which makes for a lot more home runs.

Josh Bell was the last Pirate to attend this event back in 2019, and he belted 18 homers, but fell short to Ronald Acuña Jr. in a head-to-head matchup with 25. Bell is the only Pirates player to have participated in the timer format, which is why he has six more home runs than the other five attendees combined.

Cruz has a great chance of changing the Pirates' narrative in this event. The slugger leads all of baseball in average exit velocity (96.1 mph) and barrel percentage (21.5%). His tools should give him a great chance to win this event. Despite struggling at the plate this season, that truly does not matter for the Derby. It just represents pure talent going to work in a competitive batting practice.

After Cruz was announced as a member of the field, Paul Skenes said on MLB Network Radio, "(Oneil Cruz's) batting practice is the most impressive batting practice I've ever seen in my life."

If his batting practice before a game is anything like we are about to see in the Derby, then Cruz may bring the trophy home to Pittsburgh for the first time in franchise history.

Oneil Cruz has a strong chance of being the first Pirates player to win a Home Run Derby.

Other derby contestants include Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Nationals outfielder James Wood, Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, with the bracket still unofficial. Acuna is the only chosen player who has fewer home runs than Cruz, but he has played in just 40 games this season.

The night of the Home Run Derby will be so much more exciting now that Cruz is officially in. Even though he is not in the All-Star Game, it is awesome that he will be in Atlanta for this event. Hopefully he does what no Pirates player has ever done by winning the whole thing.