Reds' Elly De La Cruz Predicted to Join Elite Club With Barry Bonds, Shohei Ohtani

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the best shortstops in the league with young superstar Elly De La Cruz. He's one of the best young infielders in the league, but the best part for the Reds is that he's only scratching the surface of what he could be.

Last season, De La Cruz got off to a fast start but suffered an injury around the midway point of the year. After that, De La Cruz's power fell off a cliff, and he struggled down the stretch. But now he looks healthy and strong heading into the year, which means he could be in for a monster season.

Thomas Nestico of TJStats recently put together a list of bold predictions for each team in the league this season. For the Reds, Nestico predicted De La Cruz would hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases to join Barry Bonds, Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano, and Jose Canseco in the illustrious 40/40 club.

Elly De La Cruz has true 40/40 potential

Mar 26, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) reacts after hitting a single in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

"With 18 home runs in his first 97 games, Elly De La Cruz was pacing for his first 30 home run season. Unfortunately, he had a second half to forget after a quad injury sapped his power and turned him into a shell of himself," Nestico wrote. "With a full offseason to recover, the Reds superstar has all the tools to be baseball’s next 40-40 player. His explosiveness on the basepaths makes the stolen base mark trivial, and I am confident he can set a career high in home runs this season. 40 home runs is a lot, but he has both the power and the home park to aid in his quest."

There have only been a handful of players in the history of the game to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season. But De La Cruz has the traits to reach this rare club.

In a fully healthy season, 40 stolen bases shouldn't be much of an issue for De La Cruz. He almost had 70 stolen bases in 2024, which was his last fully healthy season. He slugged 18 home runs in the first half of last year, but only hit a handful of homers down the stretch.

Assuming the star shortstop can stay healthy, the 40-stolen-base mark should be a routine thing. If he can begin pulling the ball in the air more often, 40 home runs is certainly in reach. It's a bold prediction for a reason, but don't be surprised if De La Cruz begins approaching these two numbers.

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