Pirates are counting on Marcell Ozuna's magnetic personality to rub off on Oneil Cruz. Cruz, 27, is coming off a season where he led the Pirates with 20 home runs and tied for the National League lead with 38 stolen bases, but batted .200/.298/.378. He struggled against left-handers and slumped in August, dropping to sixth in the order. The Pirates added Ozuna, a three-time All-Star designated hitter with 296 home runs and 948 RBIs in 13 seasons, primarily for his power. However, they are also counting on his positive influence to help Cruz reach his potential. Cruz and Ozuna share an agent and spent time together speaking Spanish, which can help with translation. Pirates manager Don Kelly played with Ozuna in 2015-16 and believes his positive demeanor and energy will rub off on Cruz. Ozuna, 35, is excited to learn from Cruz, who has a lot of time in the league and knows how to do everything. The Pirates are confident that Ozuna's presence will help Cruz improve his performance and reach his full potential. This could be a make-or-break year for Cruz to reach his ceiling.
