Getty Image / Dylan Buell
Elly De La Cruz has the look of a special baseball player. The Cincinnati Reds rookie infielder was called up to the big leagues just a few weeks ago and has instantly become arguably baseball’s most exciting player.
The Dominican-born 21-year-old is a true five-tool player, and he showed those tools off early in his career. Take a look at this power-speed combo he showed off in just his first two games in the big leagues, June 6th and 7th.
Elly De La Cruz casually goes 458 feet for his first MLB career home run… pic.twitter.com/diImkK58YP
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 7, 2023
Elly De La Cruz with the fastest home-to-third time in the Majors this season (2nd-fastest in 4 seasons!) with his first big league triple!
30.9 ft/sec
10.83 sec home-to-third pic.twitter.com/Gx9V7V9et0— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 8, 2023
And, he’s been tearing the cover off the ball, with an OPS of over .900 after Friday night. That number increased exponentially due to Elly De La Cruz hitting for the cycle against the Atlanta Braves Friday as the Cincinnati Reds stayed red-hot. Here is his home run and triple.
ELLY DE LA CRUZ HAS HIT ANOTHER HOME RUN#ATOBTTR pic.twitter.com/6yJZgYdIfz
— Depressed New York Fan (@JudgeEnjoyer) June 23, 2023
CYCLE FOR ELLY DE LA CRUZ 🔥
He is the youngest player to hit for the cycle since 1972.
(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/AcRniDS8pb
— ESPN (@espn) June 24, 2023
He is so, so fast. The Reds have won 12 in a row and are in first in the NL Central as they topped the also-red-hot Braves, 11-10.
It was the 343rd time a player has hit for the cycle in MLB history and Elly De La Cruz became the youngest to do so in quite some time.
Elly De La Cruz (21 years, 163 days) is the youngest player to hit for the cycle since 1972 pic.twitter.com/DjQD2nFFyv
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 24, 2023