The Cincinnati Reds have recently added a new prospect to their farm system that they are hoping will be the spark of something special. Elly De La Cruz, a highly-touted player from the Dominican Republic, is the newest addition to the team's roster and has all of baseball buzzing. So, who is Elly De La Cruz and what makes him so special? Let’s take a look at his background, stats, and skills to find out.
Background and Stats
Elly De La Cruz was born in San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic in 1997. He signed with the Reds in March 2020 for a reported $1 million bonus after playing two seasons of professional baseball in his home country. In those two seasons, he hit .291/.346/.438 with 7 home runs and 58 RBIs over 130 games. He also stole 27 bases during that time, showing off his speed on the basepaths.
Skillset
At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, De La Cruz has great size for an outfielder. He has above-average arm strength and solid athleticism that allows him to cover plenty of ground in the outfield. He also has excellent speed on the basepaths which makes him an ideal leadoff hitter or a great option as a pinch runner late in games when the team needs an extra base stolen or run scored. De La Cruz also has good power potential which should help him become a solid Major League hitter down the line.
The Cincinnati Reds have added another talented prospect to their roster with Elly De La Cruz joining their farm system this year. With his combination of speed, power potential, arm strength, and athleticism; he could be one of baseball’s top prospects very soon if he continues to develop properly as he moves up through their minor league system. It’ll be exciting to see how far his talent can take him as he strives towards becoming one of baseball’s best players!
Background and Stats
Elly De La Cruz was born in San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic in 1997. He signed with the Reds in March 2020 for a reported $1 million bonus after playing two seasons of professional baseball in his home country. In those two seasons, he hit .291/.346/.438 with 7 home runs and 58 RBIs over 130 games. He also stole 27 bases during that time, showing off his speed on the basepaths.
Skillset
At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, De La Cruz has great size for an outfielder. He has above-average arm strength and solid athleticism that allows him to cover plenty of ground in the outfield. He also has excellent speed on the basepaths which makes him an ideal leadoff hitter or a great option as a pinch runner late in games when the team needs an extra base stolen or run scored. De La Cruz also has good power potential which should help him become a solid Major League hitter down the line.
The Cincinnati Reds have added another talented prospect to their roster with Elly De La Cruz joining their farm system this year. With his combination of speed, power potential, arm strength, and athleticism; he could be one of baseball’s top prospects very soon if he continues to develop properly as he moves up through their minor league system. It’ll be exciting to see how far his talent can take him as he strives towards becoming one of baseball’s best players!