Reds name up electrical infield prospect Elly De La Cruz

Shortstop Elly De La Cruz is likely one of the most hotly anticipated prospects in all of baseball, and Reds followers’ wait to see him play within the large leagues is now over. 

De La Cruz has arrived. 

Cincinnati’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 4 general prospect, in keeping with MLB Pipeline, the 21-year-old De La Cruz was referred to as up Tuesday from Triple-A Louisville.

De La Cruz batted .297/.398/.633 with 12 residence runs and 36 RBIs in 38 video games at Louisville this 12 months. His season started on April 20 after he frolicked on the injured checklist with a left hamstring pressure suffered throughout his first large league camp at Spring Training. 

Since his return from the harm, De La Cruz has routinely been a spotlight marvel for Louisville along with his five-tool expertise. He has related for the hardest-hit ball in all {of professional} baseball this 12 months, with an exit velocity of 118.8 mph recorded by Statcast. Overall in that very same sport, he hit three balls over 116 mph.

In early May, De La Cruz was enjoying third base for Louisville when he uncorked a 99.2 mph throw to first base – the toughest recorded throw on the time in Triple-A or the Major Leagues. 

On June 2, De La Cruz’s 10.97-second dash from residence plate to 3rd base tied him for the quickest journey from residence to 3rd tracked on the Major League stage in 2023.

De La Cruz will seemingly play largely shortstop for the Reds however may additionally see time at third base. Another prospect, De La Cruz’s former Louisville teammate Matt McLain, has been enjoying shortstop for Cincinnati since his personal May 15 promotion. McLain usually performed second base at Louisville when De La Cruz was at shortstop. If the Reds function in comparable style, they might probably transfer second baseman Jonathan India to 3rd base. India has been taking floor balls currently at third.

There has not been this a lot hype for a Reds place participant prospect since outfielder Jay Bruce arrived on May 27, 2008. Bruce, then 21 like De La Cruz, was ranked because the No. 1 general prospect on the time of his promotion. He burst onto the scene his first week by hitting .577 with three homers over his first seven Major League video games. 

Now De La Cruz will get to check his talents at baseball’s highest stage, and his video games are anticipated to be appointment viewing in Cincinnati – and past.