"How is this even possible?" "This kid is a future monster" - MLB world reacts to Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz smashing a home run against Washington Nationals

The Pittsburgh Pirates' struggles this season have been masked by the floundering of the other two teams in their division. The Bucs currently sit third in their division, ahead of both the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds.

However, Pittsburgh have struggled to generate wins as of late as they are embroiled in a four-game losing streak. This comes as no surprise since heading into the season, it has been pretty clear that the Pirates are still in their rebuilding phase.

What's been redeemed for the team this season, however, is the array of talent that their prospects are showing. Oneil Cruz, Bligh Madris, and Jack Suwinski have all produced highlights of what they can do on the field. These might be early glimpses of what's in store for the Bucs in future seasons.

Against the Washington Nationals last night, Oneil Cruz produced a moment of magic. The lanky shortstop blasted his first major league home run in the fifth inning off Nats starter Eric Fedde. The 408-foot laser blast had a 109.8 mph exit velocity and the fans were instantly blown away by the rookie.

Cruz is just 23 years old, and with his 6-foot-7 frame, it will be interesting to see how his game develops in the league. One thing is for certain, though, he will be a problem for opposing teams for years to come.

The Pittsburgh Pirates narrowly lost to the Washington Nationals 2-1. A defeat like this is nothing out of the ordinary for a rebuilding team. The Pirates are still lucky, however, that they have a future star on their roster.

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Oneil Cruz impressed MLB fans on Twitter

One fan pointed out that the pitch wasn't even in the strike zone, but Cruz managed to pull it out.

Another fan lauded Cruz for the laser blast that he hit.

One fan couldn't believe that the 6-foot-7 Dominican plays at shortstop.

A Twitter user wanted him out of Pittsburgh—perhaps for a brighter future ahead.

Another user wanted Oneil Cruz to play for the New York Yankees in a few years.

Finally, a fan was impressed when Cruz pulled what was supposed to be a line drive and turned it into a home run.

The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie certainly turned some heads with his first career home run in the MLB. As long as the Bucs' management knows how to harness and utilize his potential, he should undoubtedly be a star in the making.