Reds Shortstop Elly De La Cruz’s Latest Ranking Might Surprise Some Reds Fans

On Sunday, Bleacher Report released its shortstop rankings.

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz made the list at No. 9, ahead of players like Willy Adames and Zach Neto, but behind players like Jeremy Pena and Geraldo Perdomo.

"One of the most dynamic young talents in the sport, De La Cruz had a MVP-caliber first half (97 G, .854 OPS, 39 XBH, 18 HR, 25 SB) and a brutal second half (65 G, .666 OPS, 21 XBH, 4 HR, 12 SB), putting him at something of a crossroads," Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote.

"Is he a superstar on the rise, or a tantalizing talent who will never quite put it all together? At 24 years old, the smart money is still on him becoming one of the faces of the sport, but inconsistency and poor defense make it tough to rank him any higher for now."

One thing that Reuter didn't mention is that De La Cruz played most of the second half with a quad injury last season. When you look at his first half and second half splits, it's clear the quad affected him.

"Toward the end of July, he was dealing with a partially torn quad," Krall said. "He has been rehabbing. He was at the ballpark today. He has been rehabbing this whole offseason. To his credit, he played every day. He tried to grind through it. He tried to play through it."

I fully expect De La Cruz's 2026 numbers to be more like they were in the first half of the 2025 season.

You can see the full rankings here.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds!

Report: Reds Interested in Signing Familiar Face After Breakout 2025 Season

Hunter Greene Creates Unforgettable Moment for Reds Fan at Redsfest

Two More Cincinnati Reds Players Crack MLB Network’s Top 100 Players List

Report: Multiple Teams Interested in Trading for Key Players on Reds Roster

Reds Star Elly De La Cruz Reveals Status for World Baseball Classic

Cincinnati Reds 2025 Draft Pick Opens Up on Tough Start to Professional Career

Why Elly De La Cruz Turned Down Reds Record Breaking Offer

Cincinnati Reds Announce 2025 Organization Award Winners

One-on-One With New Reds Outfielder Dane Myers