Star players on rival teams often get compared with each other, but that has been taken to an extreme with ONeil Cruz and Elly De La Cruz.

The Pirates and Reds stars have spent the past few years fighting off parallels between everything from their names, to their teams and to their positions. However, since neither Pittsburgh nor Cincinnati has made the playoffs since their stars' debuts, both players haven't been exposed to the public at high levels.

Here's a breakdown of the similarities and differences between these two NL stars.

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Is ONeil Cruz related to Elly De La Cruz?

No, ONeil Cruz and Elly De La Cruz are not related.

While both players are from the Dominican Republic, they do not come from the same family, and they don't even have the same last name. Elly's last name is De La Cruz in full, while ONeil's last name is simply Cruz.

Still, the two get compared to each other, largely due to their career similarities. Both played shortstop for NL Central teams, Cruz in Pittsburgh and De La Cruz in Cincinnati, and Cruz is 26 years old while De La Cruz is 22.

These two are electric⚡️

Don’t take your eyes off Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz. You never know what they will do next! Watch the @Reds vs. the @Pirates at 6:40 pm ET on Apple TV+. #FridayNightBaseball

(MLB x @Chevrolet) pic.twitter.com/noyRiV0CLI

— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2024

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ONeil Cruz vs. Elly De La Cruz comparison

The comparison between Cruz and De La Cruz go beyond their names. The two stars are similar heights, with ONeil standing at 6-foot-7 and Elly at 6-foot-5, and they were both shortstops at first. While Cruz has since moved to the outfield, De La Cruz remains at shortstop for Cincinnati.

Additionally, they both have huge power and speed combinations, offering dynamic skillsets. While Cruz hits lefty, De La Cruz is a switch-hitter but spends most of the time hitting from the left side of the plate.

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Both Cruz and De La Cruz are able to hit the ball extremely hard, as Cruz has hit the hardest ball of the year, and of the Statcast era, with a 122.9 exit velocity, while De La Cruz maxed out at 119.2 in 2023. They also both have similar sprint speeds, as Statcast has Cruz at 29.3 mph and De La Cruz at 29.1 mph.

ONEIL CRUZ 122.9 MPH FOR THE HARDEST HIT BASEBALL EVER IN MLB STATCAST ERApic.twitter.com/WoKsBej26Z

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) May 25, 2025

Here's a look at how ONeil Cruz and Elly De La Cruz have compared so far in their careers:

While the two players have performed similarly in their careers, De La Cruz is slightly better at the moment, especially considering that he is four years younger.

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