It has been the Elly De La Cruz present for the Cincinnati Reds early this season as he has been tapping into elevated right-handed energy.
The shortstop placed on further weight (12-15 kilos) to bolster his energy potential on the plate. This has paid off as he recorded his sixth profession multi-home run recreation towards the Tampa Bay Rays on April 21.
As well as, he has made Reds historical past by recording probably the most multi-home run video games by a switch-hitter, beating Pete Rose.
The Reds have remained aggressive within the NL Central with a stronger efficiency in late April.
Unleashed right-handed energy coming alive
De La Cruz has eight bombs on the season, making a dynamite affect, which has been backed up by an elite exit velocity and bat pace. In accordance with Baseball Savant, he ranks within the 96th percentile with a 94.7% common exit velocity and a bat pace of 75 mph, which ranks within the 86th percentile.
With the ability he has unleashed, he has been performing like a slugger. Since April 11, he is been slugging over .500, which is a significant enchancment from 2025 (.440).
“The Cruiser” has additionally recorded a 9.8% walk-rate and 130 wRC+, in accordance with FanGraphs, illustrating his strong plate self-discipline.
The 2-time All-Star, who has six steals and a .914 OPS this season, has solidified himself as an offensive menace on the basepaths. He continues to hold the momentum as one of many quickest gamers in MLB, with dash speeds reaching 27.9 ft/sec.
All in all, the ability/pace mixture he possesses makes him a novel expertise within the Reds group.
