Elly De La Cruz: The Spark to Ignite Baseball

Elly De La Cruz has the potential to be the most exciting MLB headline of the 2023 season. This 21-year-

old phenom brings an underdog story to the big leagues, hope for a struggling franchise, and palpable

electric energy to baseball. If you don’t know his name until now, just wait! A Star is in the making and

we are fortunate to be able to sit back and watch it play out this 2023 MLB season. Get your popcorn

and pay attention, he is about to ignite Major League Baseball and the Cincinnati Reds!

Elly was born in the Dominican Republic in a small town called Sabana Grande de Boya. At the young age of six, he showed his baseball potential and was offered the chance to move away from home to live with the brother of his coach. He would spend his time with them training, learning the game, and getting into more competitive leagues. At the age of ten he moved to Santa Domingo to play in leagues in the capitol city. He was a pitcher, left fielder and one of the top players in his league. Other players on his team were getting noticed and offers from MLB teams but he wasn’t getting any opportunities. Then a family (the Vilorios family) took him in and helped him get better equipment and the support needed to keep his dreams alive.

When he got his big break, it was by accident! He was asked to play shortstop at a workout with another shortstop that the Cincinnati Reds were in town to watch. Elly was told to attend the workout to make the other player look good and stand out to the Reds scouts. That day the plans ended up a little different than expected. Elly played well enough that the Reds scouts came back the next day to watch him. This led to the scouts bringing out more people to observe his potential and they ended up signing him to a contract as a free agent for $65,000.

He ended up playing in the lower levels of the Reds organization 2018 through the covid era. Elly survived the cuts of two minor league affiliates which lead him to a post-draft camp in 2021. This is where he impressed the Reds with his speed and power. They sent him to play for Cincinnati’s Arizona Complex League where he hit .400 with 13 RBIs in just 11 games. The Reds then promoted him to AA and in 47 games Elly averaged over .300 with 8 HRs and 19 stolen bases. This 2023 season the Reds started him in AAA playing for the Louisville Bats, hitting 12 HRs and 11 stolen bases. Other players on the Louisville Bats couldn’t believe what they were watching! The excitement and electricity he broughtto the field with his presence was like none other they had seen in years!

The Reds called him up on June 6 th of this season and on June 7 th he would make his MLB debut. The

Cincinnati fans were excited about this new player but didn’t really know much about him. At his first

major league at bat De La Cruz swings at the first pitch hitting a line shot into right center. The crowd is cheering and then Elly cranks up the speed to turn his hit into a stand up double with ease! The fans were on their feet roaring and witnessing the spark ignited by the phenom Elly De La Cruz! He would continue to electrify Cincinnati in the next game where he would annihilate the ball 460ft to the last row of the moon deck for a 2 run Homerun! Fans were going wild and Great American Ballpark was re-energized for the first time in years!

Reds fans see that Elly De La Cruz is just different! He brings energy and hope to the Cincinnati Reds who haven’t been relevant in years. The attendance numbers were dwindling and Elly De La Cruz and the rest of the young Reds roster, gives the city hope and a reason for fans to head back down to the ballpark! He brings a younger vibe of excitement to a very traditional dusty sport! He is exactly what baseball needs to bring younger lost generations of fans back to the sport!