Oneil Cruz Aims to Become First Pirates HR Derby Winner
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have never had a Home Run Derby winner in franchise history, but will hope center fielder Oneil Cruz changes that.
Cruz will compete in the 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, on July 15 at 8:00 p.m., going up against the best power hitters in baseball for the crown.
Joining Cruz in the Home Run Derby includes seven others batters. This features New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., Seattle Mariners catcher/designated hitter Cal Raleigh, Athletics designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood and Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr.
The Pirates have had six other players compete in the Home Run Derby since it started in 1985, none of which were successful in their attempts in winning the trophy.
Bobby Bonilla was the first Pirates player that competed, doing so in the infamous 1990 edition at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.
The first few editions, 1985-90, had four to 10 players split on both between the National League and the American League. They also had two innings for each player, who could hit as many home runs before reaching five outs.
Bonilla hit zero home runs, but was one of five players that didn't hit any home runs on a windy, afternoon day at Wrigley Field. This included Mariners center fielder and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.
Cubs Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg won the Home Run Derby on three home runs, while Oakland Athletics first baseman Mark McGwire and San Francisco 49ers third baseman Matt Williams hit one home run each.
Barry Bonds, in his final season with the Pirates, competed in the 1992 Home Run Derby at Jack Murphy Stadium, the former home of the San Diego Padres.
Each player would hit as many home runs possible over 10 outs in each round, then would reset for the next round, with the top four advancing to the second round and the final two moving onto the final round.
Bonds, who won the second of his seven MVPs that season, finished with just two home runs, the lowest of the competition.
The Pirates didn't have another Home Run Derby competitor, until Jason Bay did so in 2005 at Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers.
Bay, who came off of a 2024 season where he won the NL Rookie of the Year, joined the Home Run Derby as the representative for Canada, as eight different nations had a representative in honor of the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
He didn't represent Canada nor the Pirates well, not hitting a single home run and falling out after the first round. Justin Morneau, who played for the Pirates in 2013, would serve as the first Canadian winner of the Home Run Derby in 2008 with the Twins.
Andrew McCutchen, in his fourth season MLB, was the Pirates next Home Run Derby competitor in 2012 at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals.
McCutchen would hit four home runs, the most for any Pirates so far, but just missed the first round cutoff, as eventual winner, Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder, beat him out by one home run.
Pedro Álvarez would compete in the Home Run Derby the following season in 2013 at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.
Álvarez did hit a franchise-high six home runs, but again just missed out on getting out of the first round, as Colorado Rockies right fielder Michael Cuddyer hit seven home runs.
Josh Bell is the last Pirates player that competed in the Home Run Derby, doing so in 2019 at Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Guardians.
The Home Run Derby changed in 2015, as there were no more outs, but rather, a time limit. All eight players had seeding based on how many home runs they hit and had five minutes to hit as many home runs.
They also paired players up against each other, with No. 1 going up vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs. No. 5.
Bell, the No. 3 seed battled against Acuña, the No. 6 seed, in the quarterfinals. Bell would hit 18 home runs, but Acuña beat him out with 25 home runs, again ending a Pirates competitior's night in the first round.
Cruz will face a changed format again, which incorporates elements of the Home Run Derby over time.
The first round is an open round again with the top four batters heading on to the second round or the semifinals. Each batter has three minutes or 40 pitches, with one 30-second timeout, to hit as many home runs as possible.
Batters then have an extra period where they don't have a time limit, hitting as many home runs before they reach three outs. If a home run goes over 425 feet, that earns the batter another out.
Home run distance will break ties, but if that's the same as well, a one-minute playoff and then multiple three-swing rounds will break further ties.
The second round reseeds the competitors in a bracket style round and the winner of the matchup makes the final. The final goes down to just two minutes or 27 pitches for the two batters.
Cruz must combine his power and endurance over this competition, prioritizing what will get him into the final and allow him a chance to win it all.
He will have Stephen Morales, a Pirates assistant coach and the Major League Translator for Cruz and the other Spanish-speaking players, pitch to him during the Home Run Derby.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.