First $Billion$ Player....Elly de la Cruz?

[todeen]

MLB THE SHOW 25 cover.

A teammate said of De La Cruz, He is like a "create a player" from a video game.



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[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by todeen

A teammate said of De La Cruz, He is like a "create a player" from a video game.

Truthfully I don't really understand all the hype he's drawing. The 67 bases he stole in 2024 wasn't a particularly striking total. Here are some other stolen base per year totals from recent years:

2023 Ronald Acuña Jr. - 73
2023 Esteury Ruiz - 67
2010 Juan Pierre - 68
2009 - Jacoby Ellsbury - 70
2008 Willy Taveras - 68
2007 José Reyes - 78

Even Reyes didn't draw the hype despite leading the National League in stolen bases three years in a row from 2005 to 2007 and leading the National League in triples in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2011.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Truthfully I don't really understand all the hype he's drawing. The 67 bases he stole in 2024 wasn't a particularly striking total. Here are some other stolen base per year totals from recent years:



2023 Ronald Acuña Jr. - 73

2023 Esteury Ruiz - 67

2010 Juan Pierre - 68

2009 - Jacoby Ellsbury - 70

2008 Willy Tavares - 68

2007 José Reyes - 78



Even Reyes didn't draw the hype despite leading the National League in stolen bases three years in a row from 2005 t20o 07 and leading the National League in triples in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2011.

Elly has speed, power, RBI production. And he produced these numbers in his second season AGE 22!!! He is seen as unpolished, and if he matures he can be something greater.

2023 Acuna age 25 = 6th season of pro ball vs Elly's second (tons of hype for Acuna, though)
2023 Ruiz age 23 = stolen bases but no power (.345 SLG vs .471 for Cruz)
2010 Pierre 32 yo [25yo in 2003 when he stole 65] = stolen bases but no power (18 career HR)
2009 Ellsbury age 25 = stolen bases but no power (9 HR in 2008, 8 HR in 2009)
2009 Tavares age 26 = stolen bases but no power & no RBI (8 career HR)
2008 Reyes age 24 = good comparison, but never topped 20 HR. I remember a lot of hype around Reyes, though.


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[D. Bergin]

Yeah, Reyes had tons of hype and a pretty good career...but he wasn't really a power guy and he hit his wall after his age 31 season.

Unfortunately, de la Cruz profiles like a lot of players who are electric for a certain number of years, but don't age very well.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Yeah, Reyes had tons of hype and a pretty good career...but he wasn't really a power guy and he hit his wall after his age 31 season.



Unfortunately, de la Cruz profiles like a lot of players who are electric for a certain number of years, but don't age very well.

I agree, but because Elly is so much younger, he will have a 10 year career before hitting a wall, a la Mike Trout or Griffey Jr. Elly will get his pay day, and then be an albatross on some other team not named the Reds.

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[sbfinley]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Truthfully I don't really understand all the hype he's drawing.

When you see him in person it makes sense. He's the best raw athlete in baseball. He has the physical ability to be the best slugger, base stealer, and middle defender in baseball. He's incredibly raw and still learning and yet put nearly 6 WAR in his first full season. The hype is what he'll accomplish if he becomes a polished player.

[Peter_Spaeth]

2 HR 7 RBI today.