Pirates' 2025 Statcast Standouts

The most extreme plays of the Pittsburgh Pirates' season.
Ethan Merrill|
Aug 30, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Aug 30, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

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Last week, MLB.com and Baseball Savant unveiled their "most extreme Statcast plays of the year". With the free agent market slogging along in January, now is as good of a time as any to conduct the same exercise for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Even though the team's 71-91 record left them at the bottom of the National League Central, several players produced moments of jaw-dropping, record-setting athleticism that defined the year. From baseball's hardest-hit ball to a high-velocity, potential future ace, here are the club's most extreme Statcast plays of 2025.

The Oneil Cruz Show

Hardest-hit ball and hardest-hit home run: On May 25, 2025, Oneil Cruz swung at a 92.2 mph fastball from Milwaukee's Logan Henderson and launched a solo home run into the Allegheny River with a record-setting exit velocity of 122.9 mph. This blast wasn't just hard — it also set a new all-time record for the hardest-hit ball since Statcast began tracking in 2015, breaking a mark he himself had previously set. There's good reason why Cruz stepping up to the plate was must-see TV at this year's Home Run Derby.

Cruz's unique combination of size and athleticism makes him a living highlight reel. Beyond that historic home run, he led the Pirates in multiple categories and was a fixture across the Statcast leaderboards. He was one of only seven players to finish in the 90th percentile in both bat speed and sprint speed.

The Kings of Velocity

He not only had the hardest-hit ball and hardest-hit home run but also recorded the team's fastest average sprint speed at 29.2 feet per second, and threw the hardest outfield assist at 102.9 mph, which was also the hardest thrown outfield assist in MLB last season. Cruz's missile was unleashed from left-center field to nail the Seattle Mariners' runner J.P. Crawford at home plate.

However, Cruz does allow himself the occasional moment to slow down and relish in his accomplishments. He recorded the team's slowest home run trot — a 31-second stroll after a dramatic grand slam that immediately followed an emotional, bench-clearing hit-by-pitch of his teammate, Bryan Reynolds. It was Cruz's first career grand slam.

Fastest pitch: In a September game against the Athletics, top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler provided a glimpse of a high-octane future for the Pirates rotation. The right-hander unleashed the fastest pitch by a Pirate in 2025, a 100.9 mph heater that resulted in a foul tip off the bat of Athletics' outfielder Lawrence Butler.

Fastest pitch for a strikeout: Later in the same at-bat, he showed he could maintain that elite velocity for a strikeout, getting Butler to swing and miss on a 100.7 mph fastball. The pitch is the first one shown in the video below.

Defensive Weaponry

The Pirates' defensive highlights were also defined by extreme velocity.

Fastest pop time for a runner caught stealing: Catcher Henry Davis showed off his lightning-quick transfer and release, posting the fastest pop time to second base on a caught stealing throw, at 1.76 seconds, to nab Jordan Beck of the Colorado Rockies. Davis' veteran-like command of the pitching staff and plays like this are why Davis, a .167 hitter in 2025, will continue to earn time behind the plate.

Hardest infield assist: Liover Peguero delivered the hardest infield assist of the year, a 90.2 mph throw from shortstop. The Statcast database was unable to pinpoint the exact play, but it was still the hardest recorded infield assist of the Pirates' season.

Mastery of Movement

While raw speed grabs attention, two Pirates starters displayed the art of pitch movement at its most extreme.

Most glove-side horizontal break on a strikeout: According to my research with the data provided by Statcast, Mitch Keller had the season's most glove-side horizontal break on a strikeout. His frisbee-like sweeper had 23 inches of break, completely baffling the St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker on August 26. The pitch went to the backstop, apparently baffling Keller's own catcher, Davis.

Most arm-side horizontal break: Ace starting pitcher Paul Skenes gained notoriety in his rookie season for the use of his "splinker" pitch, a splitter and sinker hybrid. While he didn't use it as much in 2025, it was still a devastating weapon, especially against right-handed hitters.

On June 3, Skenes' sinking fastball dove 18 inches in on Houston Astros' hitter Jake Myers' hands to earn one of his eight strikeouts that day.

The Long, the Slow, and the Unlikely

Longest home run: Perhaps surprisingly, Cruz did not hit the longest home run for the Pirates this season. Instead, outfielder Alexander Canario delivered the Pirates' longest home run of 2025, a monstrous 471-foot blast off Justin Slaten at Boston's historic Fenway Park.

Lowest catch probability for out: Canario also contributed a superlative defensive play, making the best catch by probability (under 25%) against the San Diego Padres on May 31. Jackson Merrill laced a ball to left field, but Canario's great jump on the ball allowed him to make the adjustment and snag the ball on the fly.

Slowest pitch: In a game chock-full of high velocity, infielder Jared Triolo provided the perfect opposite when he received the rare call to the mound on August 12 during a blowout loss to the Brewers. The utility player delivered the slowest pitch of the Pirates' year, a 39.0 mph meatball against Milwaukee's Joey Ortiz. The pitch worked in its own way, as Ortiz managed to hit it for a single to left field — albeit with a 99.6 mph exit velocity that suggested he was badly fooled. I could not find video of the exact pitch, but there is video of Triolo's 43-mph "heater" that was launched for a home run.

While the 2025 season's win-loss column was ultimately a disappointment for the Pirates, these Statcast extremes paint a picture of a roster with remarkable physical talent. The record-shattering power and speed of Cruz, the emerging high-velocity arm of Chandler, and the defensive highlights scattered across the diamond provide some building blocks and unforgettable memories for a franchise looking toward a brighter future.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!

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Ethan Merrill
ETHAN MERRILL

Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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