The Pittsburgh Pirates have been generating more buzz than usual this offseason, as fans gush over reigning National League Cy Young Paul Skenes and top MLB prospect Konnor Griffin. Newcomers Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O'Hearn and Brandon Lowe are also attracting a fair amount of attention. Nobody is making a fuss about Oneil Cruz. Formerly one of the most discussed young players in the game, the Dominican slugger now induces plenty of skepticism.

But he can still obliterate a baseball, and emit an undeniable presence while doing it. Look no further than Friday's World Baseball Classic matchup versus Nicaragua. With the Dominican Republic leading 7-3 in the eighth inning, the pinch-hitting Cruz smashed a 450-foot, three-run home run to put the game completely out of reach. Before rounding the bases, he turned to his dugout and took a couple of seconds to bask in the superb feat of strength, via the Talkin' Baseball X account.

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The D.R. found itself locked in a tight battle with Nicaragua for five innings, so the team clearly took great joy and relief in cracking the game wide open with a monster eighth. Cruz illustrated exactly why he is on this roster, and also reminded Pirates fans of the damage he can cause with one swing of the bat. The 27-year-old's WBC and MLB clubs are both hoping he can exhibit a consistently excellent form in 2026.

Cruz possesses an abundance of ability, but he is also one of the reasons why many fans roll their eyes when someone waxes poetic about analytics. The 6-foot-7, 250-pounder is a sabermetrics sensation, ranking near the top in average exit velocity, barrel rate, hard-hit percentage and bat speed. Those numbers, which some analysts frequently use as a barometer for future greatness, have not translated to well-rounded production.

Cruz owns a .233 batting average with 60 homers, 66 doubles, 10 triples, a .425 slugging percentage and .734 OPS in 1,384 at-bats with Pittsburgh. Making matters worse, he was considered a liability at shortstop and was moved to the outfield. Needless to say, the left-handed hitter is entering a pivotal 2026 campaign.

Perhaps a strong showing in the World Baseball Classic will enable him to get off to a hot start for the Pirates. An amped-up Oneil Cruz will try to stay in rhythm when the Dominican Republic (1-0) faces the Netherlands (0-1) on Sunday.