Why Elly De La Cruz Needs to Stay at Shortstop

Making the Case to Keep Elly De La Cruz at Shortstop

De La Cruz’s Rookie Season Defense

Debuting in 2023, De La Cruz split time between third base and shortstop, logging 32 games (29 starts) at the hot corner and 69 games (66 starts) at shortstop. He was worth -1 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) at third base and -5 DRS at shortstop, making him a slightly below-average defender.

OAA (Outs Above Average) graded him out better, giving him 4 OAA total in 2023, good for the 85th percentile league-wide.

His electric arm (98th percentile), length, and speed allowed him to reach balls that other shortstops are usually unable to reach, as well as throw out baserunners that others aren’t able to throw out. The issues were his hands, his footwork at times, and his inaccuracy, accruing one error at third base and a staggering 13 at shortstop.

2024 Defensive Improvement

After a shaky rookie campaign on the defensive end, De La Cruz looked to take a leap in his sophomore season.

He lived up to all of the hype, perhaps even surpassing it as he flashed the leather all year. Or did he? De La Cruz recorded 160 games at shortstop (159 starts), and recorded -2 DRS. This once again placed him as around a league-average defender. However, Outs Above Average rated him as one of the best defenders in the league as he had 14 OAA (98th percentile).

While these metrics grade him out as a well-above-average defender, and at worst a league-average defender, he still faced plenty of criticism thanks to his errors once again. De La Cruz had a league-leading 29 errors, 16 fielding and 13 throwing. Despite the arm strength and range allowing him to make spectacular plays, he continued to make errors on routine plays. However you look at it, though, he was still an above-average defender. At 22 years old, it would be silly to assume he would never be able to improve on the routine plays as he ages and gets more reps.

A Step Back in 2025

This brings us to the latest season. In 2025, De La Cruz made it a mission to lace up the cleats for all 162 games. While this was an impressive achievement, it likely hindered his durability, especially on defense. Throughout the season, especially in the dog days of July and August, it was apparent that De La Cruz didn’t have as much lateral movement at times on the field. His legs would also give out at times, creating bad habits while fielding the ball, which resulted in some errors. 

It was the first time in his career that OAA graded him out as below average, giving him -3 OAA (23rd percentile). DRS was once again not a fan of him, as he registered -5 DRS in the 1,382 innings at shortstop. 

Errors continued to plague him as he followed up his 29-error 2024 campaign with 26, leading the league once again (11 fielding, 15 throwing). 

Logical Reasons For De La Cruz To Stay At Shortstop

With many fans calling for De La Cruz to move off shortstop, here are some logical reasons that he should not. His height and length give him trouble at times with fielding the ball, but it also allows him to make plays up the middle that an ordinary shortstop cannot make. His arm is also one of the most valuable tools in all of baseball. It allows him to make throws on plays the runner usually beats out, and it is also a weapon on relay throws from the outfield to home plate.

Looking at the metrics, De La Cruz has shown the ability to be a well-above-average defender as he did in 2024. As much as this annoys some fans, he is still very young, and he can clean up the errors on routine plays with more reps.

His dip in defensive value last year can also be attributed to the fatigue level of playing in all 162 affairs. He and his team should take a look at the season results and recognize the issue. Playing in all 162 is undoubtedly commendable. However, it would be in his own best interest to scale that down to ~155 with DH days sprinkled in. This would allow him to stay fresh and produce at the level he is capable of.

Personal Reasons

On a more personal level, moving off the shortstop position would hurt De La Cruz’s value tremendously. Recognizing that with his agent being Scott Boras, he would likely enter free agency with the outlook of securing the biggest contract possible. For him to move into a corner outfield position would diminish his value tremendously. An .800 OPS shortstop with average defense is much more valuable to a team than an .800 OPS corner outfielder. While, yes, he can absolutely take the next step offensively, it is not a guarantee. Say De La Cruz continues to be an .800 OPS guy, he would lose value in terms of WAR and contractually if he moves to another position.

He hasn’t been bad defensively in his career, so it would be unrealistic to expect him to move willingly.

 The Grass Isn’t Always Greener on the Other Side

In recent years, we have seen plenty of examples of young shortstops moved into outfield positions early in their careers. Fernando Tatis Jr. stands out, especially since he became a Platinum Glove winner in right field. But for every Tatis Jr., there’s a lot more situations like a fellow Cruz in Oneil Cruz. Cruz, like De La Cruz, is a tall and lanky shortstop. His struggles were much more apparent than De La Cruz’s, and he was subsequently moved to center field. It seemed like an easy decision, given that he has elite speed and an elite arm. However, Cruz has struggled mightily in the outfield. Consequently, his offense has not been able to take the next step either.

Whether his offensive struggles are due to the position change is something to keep in mind. These are not puppets for the organization to plug and play. These are human beings who can struggle with learning an entirely new position at the highest level in the world.

All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. also dealt with this in his days with the Miami Marlins, where he was moved to center field after not necessarily struggling in the infield, and then he did struggle in the outfield. It isn’t always as easy as saying “speedy guy = good defensive outfielder,” and a premature move like this could hinder De La Cruz’s all-around game. That is the last thing the Reds need, as they would be one of the worst teams offensively without De La Cruz.

The Last Word

All this is to say that the situation isn’t dire enough for a position change. If need be, third base seems like it would be the better fit for the 23-year-old than the outfield anyway. For the time being, though, Elly De La Cruz should be the Reds’ shortstop for the foreseeable future.