Will Reds Superstar Take Next Step in 2026?

The Cincinnati Reds had a very mid-year at the plate. Only a few players posted above-average years at the dish, with no one really going off. The man who led them for a good chunk of the year was Elly De La Cruz, albeit his year ended concerningly.

This is part of the “Will he mash?” series of posts. We will look at the key contributors to the Reds in 2025 and answer the question of if they will be a key contributor to the lineup next year.

Knowing the up and down nature of De La Cruz at the plate in 2025, this may come as a small surprise, but I have no doubt he WILL mash next year. Let’s break it down.

The second-half swoon is what is most fresh in our memory when it comes to De La Cruz’s bat. Post-All-Star Break De La Cruz had a slash line of .236/.303/.363 with just four home runs. For reference, that was a similar batting average, 30 points less on-base, and 24 points less slugging than Jake Fraley put together in just two more games for the Reds before being cut last year.

That was what happened after he put together one heck of an All-Star resume. Before the break, he hit 18 home runs with a slash line of .284/.359/.495. It’s also worth noting that the slash line took place in 97 total games (since the All-Star Break is NOT the official halfway point of the season).

There are plenty of reasons to remain bullish on De La Cruz taking another step forward because of his young age and another year with the same coaching staff, but I also like his peripherals. 

He is in the top quarter of the league in bat speed and maintains an average swing length, so the mechanics are good.

De La Cruz had an average exit velocity of 91 MPH, which puts him in the top quarter of that stat, as well.

He also saw a decrease in whiff rate (swing and misses) despite an increased overall swing rate. On top of that, he added some ability to hit pitches outside the zone, when compared to last year. So even though his case rate remained steady, he hit more of those pitches he chased than in years past.

You can boil all of that down to this: De La Cruz still hits the ball hard and is beginning to make more contact, all while striking out a lot less. He dropped his strikeout rate from 31.3% in 2024 to 25.9% in 2025.

I have no doubt Elly De La Cruz will mash in 2026.