This young Reds star might have changed his swing in offseason
Elly De La Cruz appears to be gearing up for his encore next season.
Cincinnati Reds writer Bryce Spalding shared some videos this week of a new-looking swing from the Reds phenom De La Cruz. Most notably, De La Cruz seems to have done away with his high leg kick. Spalding noted that De La Cruz’s swing looks slower, more controlled and slightly more open.
Spalding also shared a side-by-side edited video comparison of De La Cruz’s old swing to his new one.
The 22-year-old De La Cruz was an exhilarating watch from the moment that the Reds called him up last June. His combination of size, speed and Paul Bunyan power made De La Cruz a walking highlight reel (no matter if he was at the plate, on the basepaths or in the field).
That said, De La Cruz also proved that he was still pretty raw. He struggled in particular with his batting average – finishing the year hitting just .235 over 98 total games – and his high strikeout rate – a whopping 144 total whiffs. With his approach at the plate looking like his biggest current weakness, De La Cruz developing a corrected swing this offseason to pair with his other physical gifts is probably exactly what Reds fans want to see.
This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.
Further Reading:
This Day in Braves History: Andruw Jones signs with Yankees
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Braves Franchise History
1871 – The first franchise in the yet-to-be formed National Association of Professional Baseball Players is born. The Boston Red Stockings, the league’s charter franchise, will be managed by Harry Wright, who founded and managed the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first professional baseball team. Two months later, the National Association will officially open for business, as the ancestors of the future National League’s Braves franchise are born.
2011 – The Yankees sign outfielder Andruw Jones to a one-year contract. Jones would spend the final two seasons of his major league career in pinstripes. He hit .247/.356/.495 with 13 home runs in 2011 and .197/.294/.408 with 14 homers in 94 games in 2012.
MLB History
1966 – Ted Williams is elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA receiving 282 of a possible 302 votes.
1970 – The BBWAA elects shortstop Lou Boudreau to the Hall of Fame. Boudreau received 232 of a possible 300 votes.
MLB Next Game – Atlanta Braves
1984 – The Montreal Expos sign 42-year-old free agent Pete Rose. The veteran first baseman batted only .245 in 1983, the last of his five seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. Rose will play only 95 games for the Expos before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds, where he will become player-manager.
1998 – Veteran reliever Lee Smith and third baseman Terry Pendleton sign minor league contracts with the Kansas City Royals, who invite them to spring training as non-roster players.
2000 – Major League Owners vote to give all their internet rights to the Commissioner’s office paving the way for the creation of MLB.com. Bud Selig will parcel out money earned from the venture in equal amounts to all of the teams.
2022- Major League Baseball puts the final nail in the coffin of the innovative plan put together by Stephen Bronfman to have the Tampa Bay Rays split their season between St. Petersburg, FL and Montreal, QC, by stating such a move would never receive approval. While MLB does not give a reason, the league prefers a permanent solution to the chronic ballpark problems in Tampa, while the Players Association was always unlikely to approve a plan that forces some of its members to maintain two separate in-season homes.
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