Oneil Cruz isn't lacking confidence, that's for sure.
The Pirates star prospect, ranked 22nd in all of baseball, is set to make his season debut Monday night as the Pirates begin a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs.
"I feel great," he said a few hours before first pitch. I feel super happy to be back here with the team."
But, after playing in two games for the Pirates last October, Cruz's path back to the big leagues has been one filled with some criticism.
Many felt that the 6-foot-7 shortstop was ready to join the Pirates out of spring training. Pittsburgh's management felt differently, saying that his development needed more time.
"It was hard, especially with the way I was able to work and produce in spring training," he said. "These past few months have been a little bit difficult, but I just remained consistent and remained focused on the mission."
Cruz, however, got off to a fairly abysmal start in Indianapolis, hitting just .176 in April. As the weather warmed, however, so did Cruz's bat. He hit .256 in May and .277 so far in June. Overall, Cruz has hit nine home runs and driven in 35 runs, while also drawing 30 walks.
He also steadily improved as a defender, an area that seemed to be holding him back.
"My mindset was just to get better defensively," he said. "I was very focused on that and put a lot of effort into that. I was able to see a lot of results that I felt equipped enough to come back."
As Cruz waited, the Pirates promoted several of his Indianapolis teammates, and even called up multiple players from the Double A ranks. Suddenly, one of baseball's most highly anticipated prospects appeared to be getting bypassed on the organization's priority list.
"I didn't feel bad at all," Cruz explained. "If anything, it was the opposite. I came up with a lot of these guys. A lot of these guys were my teammates, that I appreciate, that I cheer for and love dearly. They all have their dreams, they all have their goals. Who am I to be against that? If anything, I'm going to be ini their corner."
Cruz had planned to come to Pittsburgh Monday. But when he heard that manager Derek Shelton was planning on starting him Monday night, he made sure he got to Pittsburgh Sunday night.
He made the trip with Bligh Madris, an outfielder who has hit .303 for Indianapolis this season and is set to make his Major League debut Monday.
Madris has gotten as extended of a look at Cruz as anyone.
"The guy's unreal," Madris said of Cruz. "He has tools that come around once every 100 years. He's special. Special, to say the least. He hits balls out of the ballpark that some guys are lucky to get out of the infield."
Cruz will primarily play shortstop, but has the potential to play in the outfield. It's something the Pirates tinkered with in the minors, and something Cruz was reportedly hesitant to dive into. Now, however, as more and more position-flexible prospects got to put on a Pirates uniform before him this season, Cruz seems willing to do what it takes.
"I feel comfortable wherever they place me," said Cruz, who feels his confidence has grown with more and more outfield reps. "If the team or the organization is gong to need me in the outfield for certain situations or games, then I'm going to do everything possible to be there for the team."
The last time Cruz was with the Pirates, he crushed a ball for a 408-foot home run and also hit a ball 118.2 miles per hour off of the bat, the hardest hit ball in recorded Pirates history.
"What I can promise you is that you're going to see it a lot more frequently," Cruz said. "You're going to see a lot of balls hit hard and a lot of balls traveling very far."
The hype around Cruz has been at a level that very few players have had in Pittsburgh in recent years. But the Pirates feel Cruz still has work to do, room to develop, and something to prove.
"The mindset is to never return to the minor leagues, to be here, stay here and help the team win in any opportunity possible," Cruz said.
"That my focus, do everything to stay here, do everything possible to help the team win and hopefully see a championship in the future."
