Which Reds Players Could be National League All-Stars?

Will Elly De La Cruz get a chance to shine on his biggest stage yet?

Rick Ucchino | Jul 7, 2024

Jun 24, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

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The pitchers and reserve players for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game will be unveiled on Sunday night (7/7) at 5:30 p.m. ET when ESPN hosts the All-Star Selection Show.

The starters for both the National League and American League rosters were announced this past Wednesday. No one on the Cincinnati Reds' roster garnered enough fan votes to qualify for the team.

Even with the bench and bullpen capacity increased to 23 total players for this game the Reds will likely only get one representative—maybe two—at this year's Midsummer Classic.

Who will be representing the Queen City at Arlington's Globe Life Field on July 16? Let's take a look at the most realistic options:

Elly De La Cruz: .250 AVG, 15 HR, 39 RBI, 43 SB

Snoop Dogg is AMAZED by Elly De La Cruz 👀 pic.twitter.com/cefAGsrOsG
— MLB (@MLB) June 15, 2024

The season thus far for the 22 year-old shortstop has been quite the roller coaster. One week the sports talk radio hosts in town are fielding calls for him to be sent down to Triple-A Louisville and then just days later he's being anointed as the next Barry Bonds.

De La Cruz is far from a finished product, but the rough edges of this diamond are starting to be smoothed out and fans are beginning to see a level of consistency in his game. His stats may not jump off the page, outside of stolen bases, but he has started to put together better at-bats and get on base at a higher clip these last several weeks.

The raw talent is undeniable. As Snoop Dog hilariously found out a few weeks back, De La Cruz can do things on a baseball field that not many are able to emulate.

He's already a superstar and one that tends to shine bright on the biggest stages. Just ask the New York Yankees. Just ask the league office which has tried and failed twice now to get De La Cruz to compete in the Home Run Derby.

With the Commissioner's Office spearheading the selection process, expect De La Cruz to be a lock to make the team. MLB will want the world to see one of its' bright young stars in action.

Hunter Greene: 5-4, 3.45 ERA, 116 SO

Should Hunter Greene make the MLB All-Star roster?

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene (21) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The Pirates won the second game of the series, 9-5. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

Another one of baseball's young stars that should be getting heavy consideration to make this year's All-Star squad is Hunter Greene.

The 24-year-old is molding into the top end starting pitcher the Reds envisioned him to be when the organization signed him to a six-year contract extension.

Green recovered nicely from a bit of slow start this season and has put together a number of dominating performances including back-to-back outings against the Dodgers in June where he held the boys in blue to three earned runs over 12 1/3 innings with 13 strikeouts.

He's had some bizarre battles with heat and fatigue at times this season, which does carry a far amount of concern, but has stayed healthy for the most part. Green is on track to set career-highs in games started, innings pitched and strikeouts and has already put together a 3.2 WAR rate in his 18 starts in 2024 - sixth best in Major League Baseball.

Andrew Abbott: 8-6, 3.28 ERA, 74 SO

Andrew Abbott has put together a nice 2024 season for the Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

For a guy that many analysts left out of their projected Opening Day rotation following the signings of Frankie Montas and Nick Marinez, Andrew Abbott has gone out and solidified himself as one of the Reds big three starting pitchers.

The next step in his development is finding a way to go deeper into ball games more consistently and to limit the long ball. Where he excels is in minimizing the damage when he's on the mound. Only twice all year has Abbott surrendered more than three earned runs during a start.

With Nick Lodolo's 2024 campaign hindered by a couple of stints on the injured list, Abbott represents the last real option to make the All-Star team from Cincinnati. Jonathan India's June and July may put him in the conversation, but there's only so many roster spots and every team has to have a representative.

Prediction: The Cincinnati Reds will have two All-Stars in 2024: Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene.

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