Elly De La Cruz Continues His Rise With Another Strong Season

Elly De La Cruz has responded to the first significant injury of his young Major League Baseball career by continuing to produce for the Cincinnati Reds, reinforcing his status as one of the game’s most intriguing young shortstops.

The 24-year-old Dominican missed more than three weeks after suffering a right hamstring injury on May 31, but returned in late June following a rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues. His absence interrupted a particularly strong start to the season, when he was batting .280 with 12 home runs and an .855 OPS through 58 games.

Before the injury, De La Cruz had been among the National League’s more productive offensive players. His return has allowed him to maintain that level of production even as Cincinnati has struggled to turn its individual performances into a stronger position in the standings.

Power Numbers Continue To Rise

Entering the September 8 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, De La Cruz was batting .281 with 139 hits, 24 home runs, five triples, 25 doubles, 67 RBIs and 87 runs scored in 125 games and 494 at-bats. He also carried a .361 on-base percentage, .498 slugging percentage and .859 OPS.

Those figures already represented progress from his previous full season. De La Cruz had hit 22 home runs in 2025 while finishing with a .264 batting average, meaning he had surpassed both marks before the 2026 regular season reached its final weeks.

His remaining target was his 86-RBI total from the previous season. With 67 RBIs entering the Dodgers series and the regular season scheduled to conclude September 27, surpassing that figure would require a strong finish, but remained within reach.

A More Complete Hitter

The biggest development in De La Cruz’s offensive game has been his continued progress at the plate. Strikeouts remain the most evident weakness in his profile, but his strikeout rate has fallen considerably from the more than 31% level he posted early in his career to 27.3%.

His batting average has followed a similar upward trajectory. After hitting .235 during his 2023 debut season, De La Cruz improved to .264 in 2025 and had reached .281 this year entering the Dodgers matchup.

The improvement reflects more than a change in results. De La Cruz has continued working to improve his discipline and recognition of the pitches he sees, an important part of the development expected from a young hitter facing increasingly sophisticated Major League pitching.

Speed Remains A Defining Weapon

De La Cruz’s value extends well beyond his production at the plate. His elite running ability remains one of the most distinctive elements of his game and gives Cincinnati another way to create offense.

In 2024, his second Major League season, he led the National League with 67 stolen bases. That combination of speed, power and defensive versatility has made him one of the most recognizable young players in baseball and a particularly difficult matchup when he reaches base.

His ability to generate extra-base hits adds another dimension. De La Cruz can turn a single into a scoring opportunity with his legs, while his power gives him the ability to change a game with one swing. That combination is unusual for a shortstop and has helped establish his reputation as one of Cincinnati’s most important players.

A Star Still Developing

De La Cruz has already been selected to two All-Star Games despite being only 24, but his development remains a central part of his story. His progression from a .235 hitter as a rookie to .264 last season and .281 entering September shows a player still refining his offensive approach.

The Cincinnati shortstop’s spectacular style is built around attributes that are difficult to teach: elite speed, significant raw power and versatility. The challenge now is to make those tools increasingly consistent, particularly in the strike zone.

Cincinnati entered the final weeks of the season near the bottom of the National League Central, limiting the immediate impact of De La Cruz’s individual production on the team’s playoff position. For the Dominican infielder, however, another productive campaign represents an important step in the development of a player whose ceiling remains unusually high.

With the season approaching its final stretch, De La Cruz has already established new personal benchmarks in several offensive categories. His next challenge is to finish the year strongly and continue turning the considerable potential he showed from the beginning of his career into sustained Major League production.