Inside The Phillies

How Philadelphia Phillies Top Prospect's Streak Stacks up in Baseball History

What Philadelphia Phillies prospect Carlos De La Cruz is doing at Reading is great, but he has a long way to go to catch others.

Matthew Postins

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Philadelphia Phillies prospect Carlos De La Cruz extended his on-base streak to 38 straight games after he went 1-for-4 with a double and a walk in the Reading Fighting Phils’ 7-3 win over Portland.

Earlier in the week, De La Cruz clinched the longest on-base streak at Reading since 2009 when he passed the 33-game streak Cameron Perkins he put together in 2014.

He played five games last week. He extended the streak on Tuesday with a walk during an 0-for-4 game at the plate. He followed that on Wednesday with a 1-for-3 game with an RBI and two walks.

He had his best game on Thursday, as he went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. It was the only game of the week in which De La Cruz didn’t draw a walk.

On Friday he drew two walks while going 1-for-3 at the plate.

While it’s not clear if there the Phillies have an organizational record for an on-base streak, the Phillies record is held by Hall-of-Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt, who reached base 56 straight games that overlapped the 1981 and 1982 seasons.

Schmidt’s streak is just outside the Top 10 in MLB history. The longest on-base streak is held by another Hall-of-Famer, Ted Williams, who reached base in 84 straight games in 1949.

In Minor League baseball, the record is held by former Arizona prospect Andrew Velazquez, who reached base in 74 straight games in 2014.

As for De La Cruz, he enters this week slashing .299/.372/.509/.881 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI.

Reading is off on Monday and Tuesday before beginning a home series with Richmond. 

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Matthew Postins
MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros for Sports Illustrated/FanNation. He also covers he Big 12 for Heartland College Sports.

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