MLB History! Oneil Cruz Just Smoked Hardest-Hit Ball Ever Recorded
The Pirates rookie torched a line drive 122.4 mph
Oneil Cruz made Major League Baseball history Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park.
The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie phenom absolutely smoked a line drive off Atlanta Braves starter Kyle Wright that had an exit velocity of 122.4 mph. That marks the hardest-hit batted ball in an MLB game during the Statcast era, which dates back to 2015.
Check out Cruz’s missile in the video below.
Cruz was held to a single, as the ball quickly ricocheted back to Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. But it was jaw-dropping, nonetheless, in large because the sound matched the sight. It didn’t just look 122.4 mph (if you were able to track it). The crack of the bat also reverberated throughout the Steel City.
Cruz’s liner broke the previous Statcast record of 122.2 mph held by New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton’s rocket — one of 14 he’s launched with an exit velocity of at least 120 mph, per ESPN.com — resulted in a double play, so Cruz’s record-setter was more productive, as well.
According to ESPN.com, Cruz’s hit was the 17th batted ball in the Statcast era with an exit velocity of at least 120 mph. It certainly won’t be the last, either, especially with Cruz just starting his MLB career.
Cruz, a 6-foot-7 shortstop, already is a Statcast darling, both at the plate and in the field. In addition to boasting light-tower power, the 22-year-old has a cannon arm, which he showed off earlier this season when he broke the Statcast record for hardest-thrown infield assist at 97.8 mph.
Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Pirates lost 14-2 on Wednesday, continuing a common theme throughout the 2022 season despite Cruz’s obvious potential.
