The gap between good and great for Elly De La Cruz

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is still one of the hardest players in baseball to pin down. You can pull up the stats and see steady growth across the board, but that only gives you a glimpse into what he is capable of.

His production offensively has already started to trend in the right direction. His batting average has climbed each season, which tells you as a hitter is becoming more comfortable at the plate. His RBI totals have trended upward as well, which means he is making consistent contact.

While not common nowadays, De La Cruz played every game in 2025 and all but two games in 2024. Having a player with the explosiveness and speed De La Cruz exhibits available for every game is huge for the Reds. However, De La Cruz did not exactly look himself all last season as he did have a nagging hamstring injury. This likely contributed to the dramatic decline in stolen bases (67 in 2024 vs. 37 in 2025).

Even with that drop in stolen bases, the upside for De La Cruz is tremendous. The gap between the player who he is and the player who he could become is not that big, and in order to close that gap, he needs to focus on the following things.

Reducing errors in the field

Start with the glove, because that’s where the frustration begins. One inning he’s ranging deep in the hole and firing across his body like it’s nothing. The next inning it’s a throw that sails or a rushed decision that didn’t need to happen. 

The error totals keep stacking up into that mid-to-upper 20 range, and at this point, it’s not something you brush off. The tools are there. Everyone sees that. It’s more about knowing when to dial it back and just get the out instead of trying to do something extra.

Stop chasing pitches early

Now flip to the batter’s box. The issue isn’t talent, it’s restraint. He’ll still go fishing for pitches that never had a chance, and pitchers know it. They keep feeding that approach because it works often enough. When he stays within himself, the at bat looks completely different. When he doesn’t, it’s over quick. His on base numbers would look a lot better if he cuts out even a handful of those swings each game. No overhaul needed, just better choices in a few key spots.

Staying healthy is key

Then there’s the health side of it. When he’s healthy, the speed jumps off the screen. Last season, it came and went. You could tell he wasn’t always moving at full gear, and the stolen bases reflected that. Nothing about that part of his game is gone. It just needs him feeling like himself again on a regular basis

So what does 2026 look like?

Not some huge jump. More like things gradually tighten up over time.

The batting average should continue to rise. That part is already trending in the right direction. He is making better contact, and it shows. The RBI should remain steady as long as he stays consistent at the plate.

Health plays a big role. When his legs are in good shape, it is obvious. Last season, that was not always the case. If he is fully healthy, the speed returns and the stolen bases follow.

The real difference comes down to smaller details.

Routine plays need to stay routine. That alone helps bring the error total down. At the plate, it is about laying off pitches outside the zone instead of giving away at-bats early.

It does not require a major change — just cleaner baseball overall.