Ninety 9.2 mph throw AND 116.3 mph homer? Meet Elly De La Cruz

Statcast became made for the likes of Elly De La Cruz.

On Friday, the Reds’ No. 1 prospect, playing third indecent for the Louisville Bats, made the hardest throw made within the infield of any Triple-A or Major League diamond in 2023. On Saturday, he dilled a residence coast with an exit velocity of 116.3 mph — the 2d hardest-hit dwelling coast in Triple-A this season. There were only 11 balls hit more difficult within the Majors this twelve months, four of them by the Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton.

De La Cruz’s prolonged ball — his 2d of the twelve months — sailed 439 feet, soaring over the fence at Omaha’s Werner Park honest loyal of the batter’s see in center enviornment within the midst of the ninth inning. That became 5 frames after he pummeled a double 399 feet into center with an exit velocity of 110.2 mph.

Ranked MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 prospect and No. 3 shortstop prospect, the 6-foot-5 De La Cruz has drawn comparisons to Pirates Statcast-smasher Oneil Cruz. His efficiency this weekend has performed nothing to discourage such comparisons, with Friday night’s Ninety 9.2 laser beam from the recent corner setting a excessive mark and Saturday’s two-hit displaying with knocks above 110 mph. (He also lined out to 2d indecent on a ball hit Ninety 9.2 mph within the first.)

De La Cruz became held out of motion with a hamstring hurt till April 20, and after going 8-for-41 (.195) over his first 10 video games with Louisville has long gone on a 9-for-22 (.375) creep over 5 video games to starting up out May perhaps well perhaps.

And he’s now no longer the easiest Reds prospect losing jaws with the Bats. His weekend assault on Statcast became proceeded by a 3-homer displaying by sixth-ranked Cincinnati prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand and a cycle by No. 5 Matt McLain within the same game on Thursday.