Elly De La Cruz

On July 2, 2018, De La Cruz signed with the Cincinnati Reds as an international free agent.[2][3] He received a $65,000 signing bonus.[4]

De La Cruz made his professional debut in 2019 with the Dominican Summer League Reds at 17 years of age, hitting .285/.351/.382 with one home run and three steals (while being caught six times) in 43 games, playing primarily shortstop.[5][6] He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] In 2021, De La Cruz played for the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Reds and Single–A Daytona Tortugas (with whom his seven triples were second in the Low-A Southeast). He played in 61 games and batting a cumulative .296/.336/.539 with eight home runs, 42 runs batted in (RBIs), and 10 stolen bases (while being caught five times), playing primarily third base.[6][8] Baseball America named him the best player in the Arizona Complex League, the fourth-best player in the Low-A Southeast League, and the best athlete and fastest baserunner in the Reds' organization.[9]

De La Cruz with the Dayton Dragons in 2022

In 2022, De La Cruz played for the High–A Dayton Dragons (where his three triples tied for fourth in the Midwest League) and Double–A Chattanooga Lookouts (where his six triples were eighth in the Southern League, his 20 home runs were second, and his 28 steals tied for fourth).[10] He was chosen to represent the Reds in the All-Star Futures Game.[11] In 121 games, he hit .304/.359/.586 with career–highs in home runs (28), RBIs (86), and stolen bases (47; while being caught six times).[6][12] He was the first minor league player since George Springer in 2013 to bat .300 with at least 25 home runs and 40 stolen bases.[9] He was an MiLB Organization All Star, a Midwest League Post-Season All Star, and the Midwest League Prospect of the Year.[13] He was also named the Reds' Minor League Player of the Year, Baseball America's Reds Minor League Player of the Year, and Minor League Baseball's Top Prospect in the Midwest League.[9] Baseball America polled managers who rated him the Midwest League's most exciting player, best batting prospect, best power prospect, and fastest base runner.[9] On November 15, 2022, the Reds added De La Cruz to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[14]

De La Cruz was optioned to the Triple-A Louisville Bats to begin the 2023 season.[15] In 38 games for Louisville, De La Cruz hit .298/.398/.633 with 12 home runs, 36 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases (while being caught six times), playing primarily shortstop.[6]

On June 6, 2023, De La Cruz was promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Nick Senzel; De La Cruz was the fifth-youngest NL ballplayer at 21 years of age, one of the tallest shortstops in MLB history at 6-foot-5, and one of the fastest ballplayers in baseball.[16][17][18][19] Teammate Joey Votto said: "He's the best runner I've ever seen, and he has the most power I've ever seen. And he has the strongest arm I've ever seen."[20] On June 7, against the Los Angeles Dodgers he hit his first major league home run, a 458-foot shot.[21] In a game against the Atlanta Braves on June 23, he hit for the cycle; he became the youngest player to do so since César Cedeño in 1972.[22]

On July 8, De La Cruz became the first Reds player since Greasy Neale in 1919 to steal second, third and home in the same inning.[23] On July 16, he broke the Statcast record for fastest infield assist with a throw reaching 97.9 miles per hour.[24] While he played only 30 games prior to the All Star Game, his maximum exit velocity was in the 98th percentile in MLB, he was tied for the fastest player in the league (30.4 ft/sec sprint speed), and he had the strongest arm of any infielder (average 95.6 mph).[25] On September 26, he had his first multi home run game of his career.[26]