The most exciting player in baseball isn’t Shohei Ohtani, it’s this guy

That player is rookie Elly De La Cruz, the self-proclaimed “fastest man in the world,” and he’s one of the reasons why the surprising Cincinnati Reds could be headed to the postseason for the first time since 2020.  

Since his call-up on June 6, De La Cruz is batting .271 with an on-base percentage of .352. And while he only has six stolen bases so far, that number is sure to increase with more at-bats. With two minor league clubs last year, he stole 47 bags. He started 2023 at Triple-A Louisville, and there he stole 11 in just 38 games. He also batted .298, with 47 hits and 36 RBI.

Oh, and he can also crush the baseball. Although he only has one major league home run this season (he hit 12 at Louisville), there are some folks who believe he’d make an excellent addition to this year’s Home Run Derby.

Born in the Dominican Republic in 2002, De La Cruz has been playing baseball competitively since he was six, but success eluded him early on. As he kept getting cut from teams, he would see teammates sign with professional ball clubs. Just as he thought about quitting, a scout from the Reds came to town in 2018. Not to see De La Cruz, however, but another shortstop.

“I got paired with that shortstop to make him look good,” De La Cruz said, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. “The next day, the Reds scouts said they came to watch me. The next day, more people came and watched. Then they signed me.”

Not expecting much from him, the Reds offered him a contract for $65,000 and he took it. After bouncing around their minor league system for a few years, De La Cruz really started getting attention in 2021. He credits all the work he put in during the pandemic—including barnstorming around the Dominican Republic looking for any game to play in—to his rapid development.

And while it’s certainly very early, De La Cruz has already been compared to the likes of Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez. Plus, in addition to his exceptional talent, he approaches the game with fire and exuberance.

De La Cruz has also proven to be a great teammate. “He’s fun to watch and be around," said Reds manager David Bell. "He makes the team better by his personality and the way he plays the game. He does a lot of things on the field that are very special.”

And De La Cruz has pretty lofty aspirations. “My end goal for my career is to be a Hall of Famer,” he said. “But it’s not just that. I want the people where I am to love me, and I want to love them back.”

Here’s hoping De La Cruz says humble (and healthy) so we can watch him flourish for the next decade.