When you think of raw, electrifying talent in today’s game, two names often come to mind—Oneil Cruz and Elly De La Cruz. With lightning-fast speed on the basepaths and possessing jaw-dropping power, these two phenoms are rewriting the blueprint for what modern baseball stars can look like. And the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby only added fuel to that narrative.

Cruz crushed 21 home runs in the opening round at Atlanta’s Truist Park, including a jaw-dropping 513-foot blast. It tied Aaron Judge for the longest non-Coors Field homer in Derby history tracked by Statcast. But Cruz’s spectacular showing also drew inevitable comparisons to another electric young superstar—Reds sensation Elly De La Cruz.

The parallels between the two are undeniable. From their towering builds to their explosive athleticism and home-run potential at any given moment, the “Cruz” connection runs deeper than just a shared surname. So while Oneil Cruz turned heads in Atlanta, the story extends beyond one night. It’s about whether the two are related to each other.

“De La Cruz is the most highly touted of the eight Reds rookies who were promoted to the majors this season, making an impact that prompted the Pirates to turn to their top prospects in mid-June. And it doesn’t hurt that they have a De La Cruz clone in their clubhouse in 6-foot-7, 220-pound shortstop Oneil Cruz,” that’s all about the relation between these two.

The similarities between Cruz and De La Cruz go beyond their last names (Also, one is Cruz and the other is De La Cruz!). While both started as shortstops, Oneil Cruz has since transitioned to the outfield. De La Cruz is still holding it down at short for the Reds, though. But when it comes to power, these guys can absolutely smash.

Oneil Cruz owns the hardest-hit ball ever recorded in the Statcast era at a jaw-dropping 122.9 mph. However, De La Cruz isn’t far behind. Reportedly, he topped out at 119.2 mph in 2023. Moreover, they’re both burners on the basepaths, too. Cruz is clocking in at 29.3 mph, and De La Cruz just a tick behind at 29.1 mph, according to Statcast.

So while Oneil and Elly De La Cruz could be related in terms of on-field antics, there’s no personal relationship between the two.

Now, as Oneil Cruz fired cylinders in the Home Run Derby, fans surely missed the presence of Elly De La Cruz. His absence from the event is something of a deal-breaker for us to witness the Cruz duo spitting fire.

Oneil Cruz offered a good show

While Elly De La Cruz gave the Home Run Derby a miss and is yet to get featured in one, Oneil Cruz made the best out of it.

This year, Oneil Cruz, the 6’7” phenom from the Pirates, accepted what Elly turned down. Notably, it was his first appearance. With a fluid lefty swing and exit velocities that rival the best in baseball, Oneil did more than just compete.

Cruz made a big splash in his first-ever Home Run Derby appearance in 2025, being the first Pirates player to participate since 2019.

In the first round, Cruz launched 21 home runs, tying with the Rays’ third baseman Junior Caminero. But thanks to a longer total distance, Cruz edged him out in the tiebreaker. And that win just made Cruz the first Pirates player to ever advance past the first round in the Derby.

Bobby Bonilla in 1990, Barry Bonds in 1992, Jason Bay in 2005, and Pedro Alvarez in 2013 all participated in the Home Run Derby with the Pirates. But they failed to advance past the first round. But Oneil Cruz broke that streak in a big way.

Even though he couldn’t advance to the championship round, he did put on a show at Truist Park.