De La Cruise: Elly sprints for unique inside-the-parker
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Elly De La Cruz has made a habit of showing up on highlight reels with his tape-measure home runs, but his latest dinger allowed him to showcase a pair of other tools -- speed and creativity.
Playing in his 13th game with Double-A Chattanooga since his July promotion, the No. 3 Reds prospect (MLB's No. 47 overall) came to the plate with one out in the fifth inning and belted a Scott Blewett fastball to straightaway center field, at first appearing like another one of De La Cruz's trademark blasts. Though it merely one-hopped the wall, his wheels took over and powered him to third base.
As if the triple wasn't exciting enough, things took a turn when De La Cruz, noticing a lackadaisical relay throw from the cutoff man, bolted for the plate. Birmingham third baseman D.J. Burt did his best to nab De La Cruz but the long strides of the 6-foot-5 shortstop were enough to beat the ball home.
Perhaps no player in the Minors has enjoyed a bigger breakout season in 2022 than De La Cruz, who slashed .302/.359/.609 with 20 home runs in 73 games with High-A Dayton before his promotion. In his sixth game with the Lookouts, after going homerless to that point, he unleashed on a blast that traveled an estimated 512 feet.
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After acquiring Noelvi Marte (CIN No. 1) and Edwin Arroyo (No. 6) from the Seattle Mariners for Luis Castillo before the Trade Deadline, Cincinnati now boasts an ultra-impressive crop of shortstop prospects, including stalwarts Matt McLain (No. 4) and De La Cruz.