Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz was eliminated in the semifinals of the 2025 Home Run Derby on Monday at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Cruz bowed out to Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners in the matchup of two power hitters. Raleigh, nicknamed “Big Dumper,” hit 19 homers, six more than Cruz, to earn a spot in the championship round.
Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Cruz and Raleigh made the final four, with Caminero beating Buxton to advance to the finals.
Raleigh defeated Caminero in a dramatic final round to take home the crown.
Oneil Cruz hits 513-foot home run
Cruz put on a show in the first round, hitting 21 home runs, including one that went 513 feet. He hit four home runs that went at least 480 feet, while a fifth went 479 feet.
“513 Feet is Craazy!!! Put on a show Cruz,” teammate Andrew McCutchen posted to X.
Cruz was the first Pirate to participate in the Home Run Derby since Josh Bell in 2019. Six Pirates have previously participated in the event, including Barry Bonds and McCutchen. With his work on Tuesday, Cruz became the first Pirate to advance past the first round.
Stephen Morales, a Pirates assistant coach and team translator, pitched to Cruz during the event.
Oneil Cruz’s home run power
The 26-year-old Cruz has a well-known reputation as a hard-hitting slugger.
He owns the hardest-hit ball since Statcast started tracking in 2015: a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 25 that left the bat at 122.9 mph.
He also has a career-long home run of 472 feet. Plus, since Cruz’s debut season in 2022, he has hit 11 of the 19 hardest-hit balls.
Who participated in the home run derby?
Cruz was joined by James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves, Jazz Chisholm of the New York Yankees, Brent Rooker of the Athletics, Raleigh, Caminero and Buxton.
Who won the Home Run Derby last year?
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández won last year’s derby.
Michael GuiseMichael Guise is a web producer for CBS Pittsburgh who has worked for KDKA-TV since 2019.
