Overview
- Cruz was confirmed on July 8 as the fifth competitor, joining Ronald Acuña Jr., Cal Raleigh, James Wood and Byron Buxton.
- He leads MLB with a 96.1 mph average exit velocity and recorded the hardest homer in Statcast history at 122.9 mph on May 25.
- He will be the first Pirates participant since Josh Bell in 2019 and the sixth in franchise history, with no Pittsburgh player ever advancing past the first round.
- Through 80 games this season, Cruz paces Pittsburgh with 15 home runs and ranks among National League leaders with 28 stolen bases.
- The derby is scheduled for July 14 at Truist Park, preceding the All-Star Game in Atlanta.