Will Playing Center Field Unlock the Best Version of Oneil Cruz?

Could moving to center field full-time help Cruz reach his full potential?

Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action against the Chicago White Sox during inter-league play at PNC Park.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 09: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action against the Chicago White Sox during inter-league play at PNC Park on April 9, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Back in August of 2024, the Pittsburgh Pirates officially decided to move their promising young shortstop Oneil Cruz to center field. This move didn’t come as much of a surprise, as the team had flirted with the idea of shifting Cruz to the outfield during his time in the minor leagues.

“We really believe this is a huge opportunity for both him and our team, both,” general manager Ben Cherington said. “That’s our mindset. We believe that will be his mindset going into it.”

Despite producing above-average offensive numbers, Cruz has been a negative fielder across the board at shortstop. These defensive woes have subtracted from his value as a player throughout his short career.

However, in 2024, Cruz thrived defensively for the first time in his career – as a center fielder.

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His new full-time home in center field raises the question: Will playing center field unlock the best version of Cruz?

Why the Shift to Center Makes Sense

While Oneil Cruz’s offensive skillset has always helped him succeed as a player, the same can not be said about his defense. Throughout his professional career to this point, Cruz’s struggles at shortstop have always been a major concern.

Having seen Cruz play myself when he was in Double-A, I have always been more concerned about his defense than anything else. He has a cannon for an arm but lacked the accuracy to make consistent throws to first base.

Routine plays often looked incredibly difficult for him, showing a lack of comfort with the glove.

At the major league level, Cruz has never recorded a positive OAA (Outs Above Average), positive FRV (Fielding Run Value), or a positive UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating). He managed a positive DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) in his first season at shortstop, but his DRS in 2024 was one of the worst at the position.

Until his move to center field this past season, Cruz was having a terrible defensive season by just about every metric.

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In 958.1 innings at short, Cruz recorded a -9 DRS, -8.4 UZR, -2 FRV, and -3 OAA. This all came alongside 24 errors, the third-highest mark among all shortstops by the end of the season.

Seeing how Cruz performed at shortstop, the Pirates knew they needed to make the switch to send him to the outfield.

Although Cruz didn’t always look completely comfortable in center field either, the ways he did succeed offered a lot of hope for his future as an outfielder.

His 88th-percentile sprint speed allows him to run down balls at the warning track that the average outfielder might not reach. Additionally, his 100th-percentile arm strength gives him the ability to gun down runners on the basepaths.

Cruz Can Thrive as a Center Fielder

Since the move to center field, Cruz has reinvented himself defensively, becoming a more positive asset in most areas of his game.

In just 23 games, admittedly a very small sample size, he recorded a positive OAA of 2 and a positive FRV of 1. That’s a huge improvement over his career -13 OAA and -8 FRV at shortstop.

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Cruz still recorded negative marks in UZR and DRS, but his UZR wasn’t quite as poor as it was in his time at shortstop.

There is still certainly room for improvement, but Cruz’s OAA and FRV suggest the move to center field will pay off.

It’s reasonable to assume his outfield defense will continue to improve with more experience as he gets more defensive reads. Between the arm, the speed, and the range, he has all the potential in the world in center field.

For the Pirates, this was the first time they could really picture Cruz becoming the complete player they’d been waiting to see for years.

How His Shift to Center Helps the Pirates

Oneil Cruz’s shift to center field doesn’t just help him – it helps the Pirates as a team.

One longstanding issue for this club has been a lack of outfield depth. With Cruz now in center, they’re one step closer to having a complete outfield.

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Instead of having to piece together two outfielders to play alongside Bryan Reynolds, the team only needs one more solid addition to tie things together. It’s still not clear who this player will be, but the outfield problem will be much easier to address than it would be without Cruz in the picture.

In addition, the Pirates have spent the last few seasons building up plenty of middle infield depth, and they’ll be able to maximize that depth with Cruz moving to the outfield.

Nick Gonzales, Nick Yorke, Jared Triolo, and Liover Peguero are all pieces that could now make a much bigger impact with more playing time up for grabs in the middle infield. Enmanuel Valdez, recently acquired from the Boston Red Sox in a trade, will also likely get an opportunity to shine.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa will likely be the team’s full-time shortstop in 2025 — a significant defensive upgrade. Kiner-Falefa plays his best defense at third base, but his track record suggests he should be a more capable shortstop than Cruz.

The starting rotation is this team’s strong suit, but the Pirates have one of the weakest offenses in the league. So, limiting extra runs will be crucial. Allowing better fielders more opportunities in the infield is a great way to do this, and it wouldn’t be possible without Cruz’s move to the outfield.

Cruz’s Bat Continues to Improve

Aside from his defensive growth, Oneil Cruz also showed improvements at the plate in 2024.

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In 146 games this past season, Cruz slashed .259/.324/.449 with a .342 xwOBA, 110 wRC+, and a 3.5 fWAR.

Out of all those numbers, his .449 SLG was the only one that didn’t best his performance from 2022, and it only missed by one point. Meanwhile, his .342 xwOBA was perhaps his most promising number. It was significantly higher than his .301 xwOBA from the 2022 season.

Cruz’s strikeout rate this past season was just over 30%, which is still quite alarming. But, it is important to acknowledge that this number is also improving. In 2022, Cruz put up a strikeout rate just shy of 35% in 87 games, which speaks volumes to his improvements.

He still hits the ball extremely hard, as he’s set Statcast records numerous times for his exit velocities in the big leagues. His 15.7% barrel rate was one of the better marks in the league, and pairing that with his improved plate discipline makes for a scary look at the hitter he could be if he puts it all together.

What’s Next for Cruz?

Given his defensive and offensive improvements in 2024, 2025 could be the year we see the best version of Oneil Cruz yet.

With Cruz now free from his struggles at shortstop, he has the opportunity to fully unlock his true potential in center field. If he continues to grow, the Pirates may finally have the complete player they’ve been waiting for.

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By the end of 2025, don’t be surprised if Oneil Cruz becomes one of the best center fielders in all of Major League Baseball.