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Elly De La Cruz Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

Five ways Reds phenom Elly De La Cruz amazes

By Josh Keslinger | Last updated 7/13/23

Twenty-one-year-old Cincinnati Reds phenom Elly De La Cruz has been the talk of the major leagues since his call-up from Triple-A on June 6. The rookie from Sabana Grande de Boyá in the Dominican Republic has helped lift the Reds from an afterthought in the NL Central to a one-game division lead over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Here are five ways De La Cruz has amazed baseball fans and teammates:

Speed, speed, speed

"He's the fastest human I've ever seen on a baseball field," Reds teammate Jonathan India said after a game in June.

Per Baseball Savant, De La Cruz's average sprint speed of 30.8 feet per second is slightly faster Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr.

De La Cruz recently stole second base, third base and home plate in a matter of a few pitches, a rare feat. He became only the second player in the expansion era to steal three bases in a plate appearance, with the first being Rod Carew in 1969.

Elly De La Cruz steals second, third, and then home! pic.twitter.com/0WZn7ar3tm
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 8, 2023

De La Cruz isn't hesistant to boast about his speed either. "I am the fastest man in the world," he said last month.

A powerful bat

In 126 at-bats, De La Cruz is slashing .325/.363/.524 with four home runs, 16 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. In a game against the Atlanta Braves in June, he hit for the cycle — the first Reds player to do so since Eric Davis in 1989.

Per ESPN Stats & Info, he became the first player in MLB history with 40 hits and 15 stolen bases in his first 30 games.

Before the All-Star Game, former Reds third baseman Todd Frazier said De La Cruz belonged in the Mid-Summer Classic. (He was not selected for the game.)

And people say my man Elly De La Cruz shouldn’t be an all star. Guy is electric as they come. What he did today was amazing. @CincinnatiReds
— Todd Frazier (@FlavaFraz21) July 8, 2023

Contagious swagger

On top of being a leader on the field, he has become a leader in the clubhouse and a face of the team's youth movement that includes the likes of Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, India and others.

He has also helped veterans re-discover their youth, including longtime Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who told Bally Sports Cincinnati following a win, "We're young. We're hip. This is what young and hip people do!"

Electric defense

De La Cruz, who plays shortstop and third base, has a cannon for an arm. Playing third, he made a 95.6-mph throw to nail Washington Nationals catcher Riley Adams at first. It was the fastest-tracked infield assist in MLB this season, per MLB's Sarah Langs.

Elly De La Cruz’s 95.6 mph throw is:

- the fastest-tracked infield assist in MLB this season

- the Reds’ fastest-tracked infield assist under Statcast (2015) https://t.co/rtWV9ofs8z
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 6, 2023

A natural leader

Above all else, De La Cruz has shown he is a natural leader. He makes smart decisions and flashes a high baseball IQ. His presence draws the attention of every player on the field, none moreso than the opposing pitcher.

De La Cruz is the driving force of a Reds turnaround this season — they are 22-8 with him since his call-up — and Cincinnati could return to the playoffs for the first time since losing to the Braves in the wild-card round in 2020. The Reds finished last in 2022 with a 62-100 record.

Per OddsChecker, the Reds — who return to action Friday against Milwaukee — are a solid bet to win the division.

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