Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz has one of the most exciting skill sets in Major League Baseball, and he found a new way to remind fans of that on Sunday.
Cruz blasted a solo home run to right field during the bottom of the third inning of the Pirates game against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Sunday. If you blinked, you probably would not have seen the ball leave the park.
Cruz’s home run left his bat at 122.9 mph, which made it the hardest-hit ball of the Statcast era. Statcast was officially installed in all 30 MLB ballparks in 2015, so no player has hit a ball harder than Cruz in the past decade.
The ball landed comfortably in the Allegheny River.
Oneil Cruz just hit this ball 122.9 mph.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 25, 2025
That is the hardest hit ball in the Statcast era. pic.twitter.com/dZYilTHie1
You can see another angle of the record-setting swing:
Oneil Cruz's 122.9 MPH homer was the hardest-hit ball of the Statcast Era 😳 pic.twitter.com/VfzAcPLwg8
— MLB (@MLB) May 25, 2025
The home run was the 10th in 45 games this season for Cruz, so he is easily on pace for a career high in that category. He finished with 21 home runs in 146 games last season.
If you remember, Cruz also threw one of the hardest balls of the season a few years back. The 26-year-old has rare physical traits, which is why he is one of the most exciting players in baseball.
