The Shortstop Who Almost Went Home

Sabana Grande de Boyá

Elly De La Cruz left home at six years old, moving in with a coach's relative for better training. He grew up in Sabana Grande de Boyá in the Dominican Republic with eight older siblings and a fraternal twin, Pedro, who stands about 5-foot-8 and runs a car wash back home. Elly is 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds, a switch-hitter. As a teenager at the academy, he nearly quit — years of failing tryout cuts and drawing little scout interest had him wanting to return home to family. His mother urged him to continue. The Cincinnati Reds signed him on July 2, 2018, for $65,000 after scouts at Niche Baseball Academy noticed him while evaluating another shortstop. During the 2020 minor league shutdown, he feared release amid team cuts. He barnstormed in local Dominican games and trained before dawn, and when he returned, the breakout stunned Reds officials.

Five Hundred

On July 12, De La Cruz collected his 500th career hit — 502 games into a career that began June 6, 2023. He turned 24 in January. The build: a .259 average, 28 triples, 77 home runs, and 155 stolen bases. Joey Votto, his teammate, said De La Cruz was the best runner, had the most power, and possessed the strongest arm he had ever seen. Two All-Star selections followed in 2024 and 2025, and the Reds gave him their Ernie Lombardi MVP Award in 2024.

The Medallion

He wears a medallion pendant carrying a family photo. On May 31, 2025, his older sister Genelis died. De La Cruz insisted on playing the next day against the Cubs. He hit a two-run home run, pointed to the sky, and formed a heart with his hands as he crossed the plate. His spikes and cap were inscribed with tributes to her.

He lives in Santo Domingo when the season ends. He is still at shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds.

Reporting: Cincinnati Enquirer, MLB.com, ESPN, Wikipedia. Career and biographical data: MLB StatsAPI, via the Fever engine.