Oneil Cruz Is Putting in the Work - and Getting Elite Help - to Bounce Back in 2026
The Pittsburgh Pirates took a step back in 2025, finishing with just 71 wins after two straight 76-win seasons. And while there’s no shortage of reasons for the slide, Oneil Cruz’s uneven season stood out as one of the more frustrating storylines.
On paper, Cruz still flashed the tools that make him one of the most tantalizing talents in the game: 20 home runs for the second straight year, a National League-best 38 stolen bases, and physical gifts that jump off the screen. But a .200 batting average and a nearly 100-point drop in OPS told the story of a player still trying to put it all together - and struggling to do so consistently.
Part of the challenge? Cruz was learning a brand-new position on the fly.
After a late-season switch in 2024, 2025 marked his first full year as the Pirates’ everyday center fielder. The results were, understandably, a mixed bag.
But here’s the good news for Pirates fans: Cruz isn’t shying away from the grind. In fact, he’s leaning all the way in.
Speaking with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Cruz made it clear that his offseason back home in the Dominican Republic wasn’t about rest and relaxation. It was about work - especially at the plate, where he’s focused on improving his contact rate and handling left-handed pitching more effectively. But it’s what he’s doing defensively that’s turning heads.
Cruz has been training with none other than Kevin Kiermaier - the four-time Gold Glove winner and 2015 AL Platinum Glove recipient who built a 12-year MLB career on elite defense in center field. Kiermaier didn’t just play the position - he owned it. His 37 Defensive Runs Saved in 2015 remains one of the most dominant single-season defensive performances ever recorded, second only to Andrelton Simmons’ 42 at shortstop in 2017.
This winter, Kiermaier made it known that he wants to help reshape how outfield defense is taught and played. He put the call out on social media, offering to work with players who are hungry to elevate their defensive game. Pirates fans quickly flooded his replies with one name: Oneil Cruz.
And Cruz answered the call. His agent reached out to Kiermaier the very next day, and since returning to Florida - where Kiermaier resides - the two have been working together closely.
It’s a pairing that makes a ton of sense. Cruz has tools most players can only dream of: 93rd percentile sprint speed and a cannon of an arm that ranks in the 100th percentile.
But raw tools only get you so far in center field, where anticipation, route running, and positioning are everything. That’s where Kiermaier comes in.
Cruz has acknowledged the areas where he’s still learning - reaction time, efficient routes, and making accurate throws from the outfield. Those are the finer points of outfield play that don’t come overnight, especially for someone who was a shortstop less than two years ago. But if there’s anyone who can accelerate that learning curve, it’s Kiermaier, whose game was built on those very fundamentals.
There’s also a strong precedent for infielders making a successful transition to the outfield and becoming elite defenders. Mookie Betts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Alex Gordon all made that leap early in their careers.
The result? A combined 16 Gold Gloves and four Platinum Gloves between them.
Cruz has the physical makeup to follow that path - the question now is whether he can apply Kiermaier’s lessons when the lights come on.
It’s also fair to wonder how much the defensive transition impacted Cruz’s offensive struggles in 2025. Learning center field at the highest level of baseball is no small task, and it may have taken a toll on his rhythm at the plate. But if Cruz can stabilize his defense and find a comfort zone out there, it could free him up to focus more fully on his offensive game.
The Pirates are counting on Cruz to be a cornerstone. His ceiling remains sky-high - a rare blend of speed, power, and athleticism that could change games on both sides of the ball. If the offseason work pays off, and if Kiermaier’s mentorship helps unlock a new level of defensive consistency, Cruz could take a major step forward in 2026.
And if that happens, the Pirates might just have something special on their hands.