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| Elly De La Cruz | CIN - SS | ||||||||||||
| Bats: B | Age: 23 | Mixed 5x5: $44 | NL 5x5: $40 | |||||||||||
| 2024: SS:160 | Mixed 2026: $43 | 2027: $41 | ||||||||||||
| Outlook: De La Cruz had a fantastic fantasy season in 2024, driven by 67 stolen bases and 25 home runs. He posted elite quality of contact with a 12.5% barrel rate and 91 mph average exit velocity, so there is no denying his raw skills. However, the early gains we saw in plate discipline didn’t hold up throughout the season. While Elly swung less overall and chased less outside of the zone, his whiff rate went up in 2024 and his contact rates worsened. His .220 xBA did not support his .261 average, and there is some concern that he struggles when hitting right-handed. Against lefties in 2024, Elly hit just .224 with a .661 OPS, compared to .275 with a .876 OPS against right-handed pitchers. The Reds aren’t going to platoon him, but his split issues and poor contact rates make him a little bit of a risk considering how early you need to draft him. | |||||||||||||
