Spanish
Santo Domingo. — Dominican shortstop Oneil Cruz, known for his amazing power at the plate, has been confirmed as one of the participants in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby 2025, which will be held this Monday at Truist Park in Atlanta as part of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game festivities.
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Cruz, who has earned a reputation for his spectacular batting practices, will bring his talent to the most electrifying stage in mid-season baseball for the first time. With an average exit velocity of 96.1 miles per hour, the highest in the Majors, and a home run of 122.9 mph recorded on May 25 — the strongest of the Statcast era (since 2015) —, the Pirates' slugger promises a memorable spectacle. To date, Cruz has connected 15 home runs and stolen 28 bases this season, emerging as a candidate to achieve a 30-30 campaign. In addition, he leads MLB with six of the 10 fastest hits of the year (all over 118 mph). The Quisqueyano thus becomes the first Pirates player to participate in the Derby since Josh Bell in 2019, and the sixth in franchise history, joining legends like Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, and Pedro Álvarez. No Pittsburgh representative has ever advanced past the first round, making Cruz a great hope to change that history. Also confirmed for the event are Ronald Acuña Jr., Cal Raleigh, James Wood and Byron Buxton, in an edition that promises many emotions and long-range hits.
