De La Cruz reveals off energy, velocity in MLB debut

CINCINNATI — A loud ovation for every plate look introduction, adopted by hushed silence from the followers at rapt consideration between each pitch. Yes, the Elly De La Cruz present for the Reds was already a sensation at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday.

And De La Cruz appeared prepared to fulfill the second.

During Cincinnati’s 9-8 walk-off win over the Dodgers, De La Cruz reached bases thrice as he went 1-for-3 with two walks and scored a run. His first Major League hit was a third-inning double with one out in opposition to beginning pitcher Tony Gonsolin.  

Batting left-handed in opposition to Gonsolin, the switch-hitting De La Cruz scorched a drive to the wall in right-center with an exit velocity of 112 mph, the hardest-hit ball by a Cincinnati participant this season. According to Statcast, the 21-year-old went from dwelling to second base in 7.74 seconds at 30.4 feet-per-second (elite velocity is 30 ft/sec.).

In his first large league plate look within the backside of the primary inning with two on and one out, De La Cruz labored a full depend earlier than drawing a stroll. He scored on Tyler Stephenson’s two-run single to heart discipline to make it a 3-3 sport.

De La Cruz, who’s ranked by MLB Pipeline because the group’s No. 1 prospect and No. 4 general, drew a five-pitch stroll within the fifth inning. The ambiance jumped to a different degree within the sixth when he represented the tying run in a two-out at-bat with an 8-5 deficit. This time, there was no silence.

The 22,602 followers chanted “Elly, Elly” between every pitch. But De La Cruz did not come by way of this time in opposition to reliever Yency Almonte, as he grounded out to second base. The ball was nonetheless smoked, at 108.7 mph.

According to a Reds official, the membership drew roughly 6,000 extra followers than its typical Tuesday sport crowd this season.

The chants continued for De La Cruz as he batted as soon as extra within the backside of the eighth however followers had been disenchanted when he took a referred to as third strike from reliever Evan Phillips to finish the inning.