Pirates Outfielder Named Dark Horse NL MVP Candidate
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have a strong outfield heading into the 2026 season, but one player has a chance to be one of the best in baseball.
MLB.com named their dark horses for the MVP Awards and Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru picked Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz as one of three candidates for the National League MVP award.
Cruz is an intriguing pick, considering the highs and lows he had in 2025, which make him an ideal dark horse for the award that he will need to improve drastically, especially statistically, to win.
The Pirates need Cruz to at the very least have a breakout season, but there's no doubt that they'd take that and more if he could provide that.
Why Oneil Cruz Could Win NL MVP
Cruz possesses the qualities that a star position player has with the bat speed, power, arm strength, speed on the base paths, athleticism and stature.
He stands 6-foot-7 and 248 pounds, but has a penchant for stealing bases, tying the NL-lead with 38 stolen bases in 2025.
Cruz also uses his frame to crush baseballs at incredible velocities and distances, making him one of the most impressive power hitters in the sport.
He set the record for the hardest hit home run in the Statcast era (since 2015) at 122.3 mph last season, eclipsing his previous record he set that wasn't far off from it.
Cruz also regularly sends baseballs further than 400 feet and even reached 500 feet in the Home Run Derby, where he put on the best showing of any Pirates player in franchise history.
That's something he's continued to do so far in 2026, with a home run in the 5-2 win over the Houston Astros on March 1, then twice for Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. His first home run came 116.4 mph off the bat and went 450 feet and his second home run was 115.8 mph off the bat and 400 feet
Cruz also transitioned from shortstop to center field at the end of 2024 and spent his first full season there in 2025.
He made some great plays with his arm including an 105.2 mph throw to home plate, the fastest for any Pirates outfielder in the Statcast era (since 2015). It was also the second fastest from an outfielder, with Aaron Hicks throwing one 105.5 mph for the New York Yankees in 2016.
If Cruz can combine on all of these traits and get even better, then he will at least put himself in consideration for an All-Star nod.
What Improvements Cruz Needs to Make in 2026
While Cruz has what is needed for stardom in baseball, he didn't show that anywhere near consistently enough in 2025.
Cruz had a poor season overall from the plate, slashing .200/.298/.378 for an OPS of .676, with 94 hits in 478 at-bats, 20 home runs, 18 doubles, three triples, 61 RBI and 64 walks to 178 strikeouts.
He was the worst qualified hitter in baseball in terms of his batting average and ranked in the bottom-25 in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS.
Stat | Total (MLB Rank) |
|---|---|
Batting Average | .200 (Worst) |
On-Base Percentage | .298 (23rd Worst) |
Slugging Percentage | .378 (22nd Worst) |
OPS | .676 (16th Worst) |
Cruz, despite some highlights, had many issues fielding, as he finished with -14 defensive saved (DRS) and -11 defensive runs saved above average, both the second worst marks of any qualified center fielder in the major leagues, according to FanGraphs.
The 27-year old took time this offseason and in Spring Training to address both issues, as he gears up for a crucial campaign.
He focused on facing left-handed pitchers when he reported to Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., as he hit just .102 against them in 2025, with 11 hits in 108 at-bats.
Cruz also worked with four-time Gold Glove Award winner Kevin Kiermaier, who also played center field and helped him adjust better to the position.
The Pirates will need not just the highlights from Cruz, but the consistency from the plate and improved defense in the outfield too.
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.