Elly De La Cruz is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds in Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on January 11, 2002, in Sabana Grande de Boyá, Dominican Republic, he stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds.
De La Cruz signed with the Reds as an international free agent in 2018 and made his MLB debut on June 6, 2023. In his rookie season, he hit 13 home runs, stole 35 bases, and batted .235.
In 2024, De La Cruz’s performance improved significantly. He was selected for the MLB All-Star Game and achieved a 20 home run and 60 stolen base season, joining an exclusive group of players to do so.
As of March 31, 2025, De La Cruz is off to a strong start in the new season. In a game against the Texas Rangers, he went 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double, seven RBIs, four runs scored, and a stolen base. Later that day, he hit another home run, bringing his total for the game to two.
Notably, De La Cruz reached the 100 stolen base milestone in his career during the 2024 season, joining Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson as the only players since 1900 to achieve this feat in their first two seasons.