Cincinnati Reds Shortstop Elly De La Cruz is Becoming a Star

The 22-year-old has been red hot since late June.

Greg Kuffner | Jul 26, 2024

Jul 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) reacts after scoring a run against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

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Cincinnati Reds

Since his Major League debut, Elly De La Cruz has been turning heads and solidifying his place as one of baseball's most exciting young talents. Only 22 years old and already an All-Star, De La Cruz's performance this season has been nothing short of spectacular.

Since June 22, he has been even better. His stats and MLB rankings in this period highlight just how good he's been.

One of Major League Baseball's Best

De La Cruz has posted impressive numbers since June 22:

Batting Average (BA): .336
On-Base Percentage (OBP): .403
Slugging Percentage (SLG): .664
On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS): 1.067
Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+): 189

He has been the Reds' best offensive player since the start of the season.

Extra-Base Hits Everywhere

De La Cruz has also been a force in collecting extra-base hits during this time:

Doubles: 9 (9th in MLB)
Triples: 4 (1st in MLB)
Home Runs: 6 (Tied for 26th in MLB)

His combination of speed and power makes him a threat every time he steps up to the plate, whether he's legging out a double, stretching a triple, or launching a ball over the fence.

Speed Demon on the Basepaths

One of De La Cruz's most electrifying attributes is his speed:

Stolen Bases: 14 (1st in MLB)

Leading the league in stolen bases during this period and on the season, his speed not only disrupts pitchers and catchers but also creates additional scoring opportunities for his team.

Discipline and Development

While De La Cruz's strikeout rate (K%) of 29.4% indicates there's still room for improvement in terms of plate discipline, his walk rate (BB%) of 9.2% shows that he's also capable of drawing walks and making pitchers work. This balance between power, speed, and discipline is a testament to his overall development as a player.

Elite Company

His weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 189 and OPS of 1.067 place him among the elite hitters in the league during this time period:

wRC+: 10th in MLB
OPS: 11th in MLB

Conclusion

De La Cruz's performance since June 22 has been nothing short of remarkable. He's already an All-Star and one of the most dynamic players in the game. If his recent performance is any indication, the future is incredibly bright for this young star.

Elly De La Cruz since June 22.

.336/.403/.664/1.067
wRC+ 189
9 Doubles
4 Triples
6 Home Runs
14 Stolen Bases
9.2 BB%
29.4 K%

MLB Ranks in that time.

Triples - 1st
Doubles - 9th
HR - T26
SB - 1st
wRC+ 10th
OPS 11th pic.twitter.com/n4xHuDbYre
— Reds Daily (@RedsDaily4) July 26, 2024