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Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Oneil Cruz made Home Run Derby history Monday night, launching a jaw-dropping 513-foot home run that electrified Truist Park and the baseball world.
Competing in the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby, Cruz represented the Pirates as the event's only non-All-Star—and he didn't disappoint. His towering blast tied the longest Derby homer ever outside Coors Field, matching Aaron Judge’s 513-foot shot from 2017 and setting a new Truist Park record.
Cruz entered the first round with just 16 regular-season homers but quickly proved why he was selected. After a slow start, he caught fire in the second half of his round, finishing with 21 home runs to tie for the lead. Six of those bombs went over 469 feet, and his powerful swing—clocking exit velocities up to 118 mph—reminded fans of his elite raw strength.
ESPN posted the moment on their official X account (formerly known as Twitter), capturing the towering blast that left fans stunned across the baseball world.
THINGS ARE GETTING OUT OF HAND 🤯
ONEIL CRUZ HITS THIS BASEBALL 513 FEET and 118 MPH 🚀 pic.twitter.com/2mtVUCSyEn
— MLB (@MLB) July 15, 2025
“THINGS ARE GETTING OUT OF HAND 🤯
ONEIL CRUZ HITS THIS BASEBALL 513 FEET and 118 MPH 🚀”
The shortstop's 513-foot home run wasn't just a highlight—it was historic. It broke the stadium record previously held by Ronald Acuna Jr. (495 feet in 2020) and ranked fourth-longest in Derby history since the Statcast era began in 2015. Even more impressive, Truist Park sits at near sea level, further underscoring the raw power behind the swing.
With his 6-foot-7 frame and elite bat speed averaging 78.6 mph, Cruz generated effortless power throughout the round. His Derby performance also marked a franchise first, becoming the only Pirates slugger to advance past the opening stage.
Averaging 111 mph in exit velocity and totaling more than 1.8 miles in flight distance, Cruz showcased the power that’s made him one of baseball’s most electric young sluggers. While the Pirates had no All-Star starters, Cruz’s fireworks in Atlanta gave the franchise a national spotlight. As Pittsburgh continues its rebuild, his breakout performance offers both hope and a spark of pride for the Pirates faithful.
