RADIO
Elly De La Cruz 2024 Outlook: A Highly Anticipated Sophomore Season
9 months ago21-year-old switch hitter Elly De La Cruz took the baseball world by storm after making his debut for Cincinnati on June 6. In 21 games that month, he batted .307 with three homers, 12 RBI, nine stolen bases, and an .881 OPS. The Dominican rookie also hit for the cycle on June 23 and wowed with incredible speed and arm strength. Unfortunately for the Reds, De La Cruz could not maintain this offensive production and dropped off significantly following the All-Star break, slashing just .191/.272/.355 in 68 second-half games. It's still far too early to label De La Cruz as a bust. After all, he'll be just 22 years old at the start of the 2024 season and was a top prospect in the Reds organization before his debut. ATC projects De La Cruz to bat .247, slug .437, hit 21 homers, and knock in 70 runs while stealing 38 bases. His ADP predicts him to land at 44.0, and considering the value he can bring to any fantasy team, this is a fair assessment.
