Oneil Cruz makes history again with a 119 mph missile in Pirates' triumph

PITTSBURGH. – Dominican Oneil Cruz once again demonstrated his extraordinary power at the plate by hitting a run-scoring double with an exit velocity of 119 miles per hour, the highest recorded in Major League Baseball during the current season.

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The hit occurred in the fifth inning of the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Washington Nationals at PNC Park, solidifying Cruz as one of the most feared hitters in terms of solid contact. It's not the first time the slugger has topped this type of record. Since the implementation of the Statcast system in 2015, Cruz holds the record for the hardest hit ball ever recorded, with a connection of 122.9 mph, in addition to also leading the categories of hit and home run with the highest exit velocity.

119 MPH off the bat 😳

This Oneil Cruz double is the hardest-hit ball of the season so far! pic.twitter.com/USJdnLitj2

— MLB (@MLB) April 16, 2026

The Pirates' outfielder also holds the record for the most powerful double, with a 121.5 mph hit in 2024, surpassing even the record achieved on Thursday's game. In total, Cruz has 13 connections of at least 119 mph in his career, a figure only surpassed by the powerful Giancarlo Stanton, who leads that category in the Statcast era. With each turn, Cruz continues to reaffirm his reputation as one of the most explosive hitters in today's baseball, capable of producing contacts that border on the historical limits of the sport.