PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – There was no official distance for the travel of Pirates prospect Oneil Cruz’s second home run of the preseason. Exit velocity, angle of the ball, and expected batting average were also not measured. But the cannon shot did not need numbers to impress.
It made a tremendous sound. He came out strong. And it fell far away.
“I definitely felt the vibration of the hit,” Pittsburgh starting pitcher Zach Thompson said Monday. “I was sitting down and suddenly I felt a shock wave. I said, ‘Wow, something just happened. It was huge, maybe one of the biggest home runs I’ve seen in a while.”
Cruz hit his first home run of the preseason on Saturday, putting all his hitting skills to the test. With little help from the wind, the youngster stretched out his arms to land a pitch low, just above his ankles, sending it over the right wall of LECOM Park. Cruz himself was surprised. “I don’t know how I hit her,” he said.
His second hit was also impressive, but in a more traditional way: A hit to the moon.
In addition to the cannon shot, Cruz hit a line drive down the middle of the infield on Monday. The exit velocity for that hit was also not recorded, but it appeared to exceed triple digits.
However, the day of the Quisqueyan was not perfect. On defense, he made a routine error, when he moved the ball from glove to hand. It’s the kind of plays he has to perfect if he wants to stay at shortstop.
So far, Cruz is scheduled to start the season at Triple-A Indianapolis.
Through three minor league levels, the Pirates’ third-best prospect hit .311 with 18 homers and 19 stolen bases in just 70 games last year.
“I think I’ve shown enough, but I guess I have to keep doing it,” said the Dominican.
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Oneil Cruz makes himself felt by force of hits