Elly De La Cruz Isn't Changing Positions: Shortstop Is Home

Will De La Cruz change positions? It has been a big talking point for Reds fans.

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) plays a ground ball off the bat of Pittsburgh Pirates second base Nick Yorke (38) in the second inning of the MLB National League Game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. The Pirates led 1-0 after four innings. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Elly De La Cruz led Major League Baseball with 29 errors last season. He also finished 11th in all of baseball with 15 outs above average.

Outs Above Average (OAA) is a range-based metric that measures a player's fielding skill by accounting for the number and difficulty of plays they make.

Among shortstops, De La Cruz ranked 4th.

Despite these stats, Reds fans continue conversing about him possibly switching positions. Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall and Reds General Manager Brad Meador don't want to join the conversation.

"Elly is our shortstop," they both told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

If De La Cruz was the 4th best defensive shortstop while leading the league in errors, just think about how good he can be defensively when he cuts down on those errors and makes all the routine plays.

“While he is still an elite player, he still has a lot of room to grow as a 22-year-old, to continue to get better,” Krall said.

When the 22-year-old was asked if he sees a benefit in possibly switching to a position like center field, he responded, "No."

Bringing in an experienced manager like Terry Francona will only accelerate De La Cruz's development and help him reach his full potential.

De La Cruz has age on his side. He also has an organization that believes in him. There's no reason why he won't continue to grow at shortstop.

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