Oneil Cruz Fantasy Outlook: When should you draft Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop in 2024?

Remember when Oneil Cruz looked like the next big MLB superstar? Well, the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop is healthy and ready to showcase his elite potential yet again at the major league level. The 25-year-old was limited to only 9 games last season before a fractured left fibula ended his 2023 campaign early.

Now, with the injury in his rearview, Oneil Cruz will be looking to help the Pittsburgh Pirates take the next step toward contention. At 6-foot-7, Cruz will literally be a big part of the Pirates outlook this season. If his small sample size during the 2022 season is a preview of what's to come, Pittsburgh fans could be in store for a special season.

"Oneil Cruz CRUSHED this baseball at 116 MPH" - @MLB

The powerful Dominican-born infielder has made a name for himself around the MLB for his massive exit velocity off the bat and cannon arm on defense. During the 2022 season, Cruz appeared in only 87 games for the Pirates, racking up 17 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases, while also posting a .233 batting average.

This level of production combined with him missing nearly the entire 2023 season makes Oneil Cruz one of the most intriguing players in not only the MLB but also the 2024 fantasy baseball leagues. There is certainly some risk that will come with drafting Cruz, but the upside could be the difference between winning and losing. So how early is too early to draft Cruz this season?

Oneil Cruz could provide top-round value in the 7th or 8th rounds of 2024 fantasy baseball drafts

The fact that the Pittsburgh Pirates star is coming off a major injury coupled with his discipline struggles at the plate has seen his fantasy stock tumble a little bit. However, this could be seen as a benefit for fantasy managers willing to gamble on his upside.

If everything goes right for Cruz this season, he could provide value similar to players drafted in the 4th and 5th rounds but come with a later price tag. His combination of speed and power could easily see him reach the 30 home run, and 30 stolen base zone.

"The thing about Oneil Cruz is that while a 40-40 season is exceedingly unlikely, he’s one of maybe a half-dozen players in baseball who is physically capable of it." - @CTowersCBS

That being said, it remains to be seen how much his brutal leg injury from last season will affect his base-stealing potential this season. Not to mention his low batting average, which could be a detriment for fantasy baseball managers. However, all of the tools are there to make Oneil Cruz a league-winning talent. Draft with caution somewhere in the 7th or 8th round.