José Barrero made a sacrifice fly to seal a key moment for the Reds, but his journey is part of a larger story that began during the 2016-2017 international signing period, one of the most notable in Cincinnati Reds history. In this period, the Reds made a bold move by exceeding their $5.163 million bonus pool, spending nearly six times that amount to sign top prospects including shortstops Alfredo Rodriguez ($7 million) and Jose Israel Garcia ($5 million), along with pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez ($4.75 million). This aggressive spending resulted in approximately $12.5 million in penalties but reflected the Reds’ clear focus on securing a future shortstop, a position that had been a gap for the team since the era of Davey Concepcion and Barry Larkin.
As the 2022 season approached, Garcia (who changed his name to Jose Barrero to honor his late mother) had climbed to No. 33 in Baseball America’s rankings, showing promise after a stellar 2021 season. However, his MLB debut in 2022 was disastrous, and Barrero’s struggles led to him leaving the Reds and eventually joining the St. Louis Cardinals. While Barrero didn’t become the shortstop of the future for Cincinnati, his tenure set the stage for a surprising revelation.
With spending restrictions placed on the Reds in the 2018 international class due to penalties, they had to find less conventional prospects. Their scouts discovered a raw, switch-hitting shortstop named Elly De La Cruz at the Niche Baseball Academy in the Dominican Republic. In 2018, the Reds signed him for just $65,000. At the time, De La Cruz was a lanky 16-year-old with great speed and arm strength but was still a raw prospect.
By 2022, Elly had transformed into a towering 6’6″ player with extraordinary abilities—500+ foot home runs, lightning-fast sprint speed, and a 100 mph arm from shortstop. His rise was meteoric, and he was ranked as a top 100 prospect. His rapid growth and development during the pandemic, when he improved drastically despite the season’s suspension, cemented his status as a future star.
By 2024, Elly De La Cruz had arrived as one of the most exciting players in Major League Baseball. His first full season in the majors saw him rank among the best for speed, power, and arm strength. With 67 steals, he led MLB, and his maximum exit velocity of 119.2 mph was in the top 1% of the league. Although he had 29 errors, his defensive metrics, such as 15 Outs Above Average, showed his immense range and arm strength.
Despitscouts Enmanuel Cartagena and Richard Jimenez found a lanky, raw switch-hitter undeniable. He became the first shortstop in MLB history to reach 20 home runs and 60 steals in a season, and he is on pace to achieve even more impressive feats. His 2024 season solidified him as one of the most valuable players in baseball and highlighted that his best years are yet to come.
Elly De La Cruz is now the centerpiece of the Cincinnati Reds’ future, bringing a rare combination of speed, power, and defensive prowess. With his rapid ascent, Reds fans can finally dream of a return to postseason glory as they witness the rise of their next superstar.