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Jul 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) walks in from the bullpen before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pirates’ Paul Skenes Reacts to Oneil Cruz Derby News

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 3:01 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz will participate in the Home Run Derby during All-Star week and teammate, right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes, is ecstatic.

Skenes earned an All-Star nod himself, his second straight in as many MLB seasons, and will join Cruz down for All-Star festivities at Truist Field, the home of the Atlanta Braves. The Home Run Derby takes place on July 14 and the All-Star game is the day after on July 15.

When Skenes heard the news, there wasn't anything else he could feel other than excitement for his teammate, who he can't wait to watch crush baseballs all night long.

"Yeah, I was fired up," Skenes said to Hannah Mears of SportsNet Pittsburgh. "I'm excited for him. Selfishly, I'm excited to, you know, get to watch him hit [Batting Practice], where the only thing that he's trying to do is hit the ball over the fence and get to watch it from the field. It's gonna be pretty cool."

Paul Skenes will have a front row seat to watch Oneil Cruz during the Home Run Derby and his predictions are in! @SNPittsburgh @Pirates @MLB pic.twitter.com/bZcVDiZD0n
— Hannah Mears (@mearshannah_) July 9, 2025

Cruz is the first Pirates player since former first baseman Josh Bell in 2019 that competed in the Home Run Derby. Other former Pirates contestants include Pedro Álvarez in 2013, teammate Andrew McCutchen in 2012, Jason Bay in 2005, Barry Bonds in 1992 and Bobby Bonilla in 1990.

While no previous Pirates contestant has won the Home Run Derby, Skenes is confident in Cruz doing so, just watching him hit every day in batting practice and knowing he'll show the baseball world that power.

"I predict that he's gonna win it," Skenes said. "I don't know what the normal threshold is for winning the Home Run Derby. How many you typically have to hit, but I think he's gonna do it pretty easily. I mean he miss-hits balls all the time that go out so and watching him do it in Atlanta is going to be cool. He's gonna hit some balls over the chop house and all that so I'm fired up."

Cruz has incredible exit velocity, setting the record for the hardest hit home run of the Statcast era (since 2015) at 122.9 mph on May 25 against Milwaukee Brewers right-handed starting pitcher Logan Henderson at PNC Park.

He has also hit six of the 10 balls hit over 110 mph in the MLB this season and 11 of the 19 hardest hit-baseballs since his debut in 2022, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com.

He just hit a 458 foot home run vs. the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 8 and hit the farthest home run of his career on July 27, 2024 against Arizona Diamondbacks right-handed starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt, going 472 feet at Chase Field.

Skenes also has confidence that Cruz will not only break that record, but hit further than 500 feet at Truist Park.

"North of 500 feet," Skenes said. "Especially with the conditions down there. They're going to make it hitter friendly. So yeah, I think he's going to go over 500 feet."

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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