elly-usatsi.png
USATSI

The Cincinnati Reds have called up one of the best prospects in baseball. On Tuesday afternoon, the team announced shortstop Elly De La Cruz has been summoned from Triple-A, and he will make his MLB debut in Cincinnati's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park. De La Cruz will debut in front of the home fans.

De La Cruz, 21, authored a .298/.398/.633 batting line with 12 home runs in 38 Triple-A games this season. He is a physical specimen who generates top of the line exit velocities, and is simply one of the most fascinating prospects in the sport. The Reds originally signed De La Cruz as an international amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in July 2018.

Our R.J. Anderson ranked De La Cruz the No. 2 prospect in baseball Tuesday. Here's his write-up:

Since returning from a hamstring injury in late April, the switch-hitting De La Cruz has pummeled Triple-A pitching and produced some of the loudest contact that organized baseball will see all year. Lest that read like hyperbole, his feats of strength so far this season include more than a handful of batted balls with exit velocities north of 115 mph.

De La Cruz has elite power, in other words, as well as near-elite speed. (In one game this season, he stole third base without a throw when a catcher made a lackadaisical return toss to the pitcher.) Scouts have warmed up to De La Cruz remaining at shortstop, but they haven't yet gotten over his swing-and-miss tendencies, particularly against left-handed pitching. There's a fair chance that he ends up being a nominal switch-hitter who does most of his damage versus righties. That's fine, all things considered, since De La Cruz still has one of the highest ceilings in the minors.

And here's how De La Cruz learned of his promotion:

De La Cruz is in Tuesday's starting lineup at third base, a position he played nine times in 38 Triple-A games this season and 73 times in his minor league career overall. Third base may ultimately prove to be De La Cruz's best position, though he has spent the majority of his time in the minors at short.

Last month the Reds called up Matt McLain, their 2021 first-round pick, and he's hit .329/.389/.500 with two home runs in 19 big league games. He has been the club's starting shortstop since being called up and is again there Tuesday, with Jonathan India at his familiar second base. It remains to be seen whether the Reds will move these players around, or stick with this infield alignment.

Cincinnati enters play Tuesday with a 27-33 record, which puts them 5.5 games back in a weak NL Central. In addition to McLain, the Reds also recently called up lefty Andrew Abbott, who tossed six one-hit innings in his MLB debut Monday.