Elly De La Cruz took his MLB first impression to heart and fell into Rookie of the Year conversation after two major league games.
The Reds were in the minor leagues just a week ago and hit the Cincinnati scene on Tuesday as one of the most anticipated prospects in the game.
In his second game, he impressed with his first major league home run, giving him the second-best odds (+350, BetMGM) for National League Rookie of the Year.
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Before the season started, the favorite was Corbin Carroll of Arizona with a +350 odd, and De la Cruz, 21, originally held +1,200 to take home the award.
However, after the New Blood went 3-for-7 with his first two home runs and two RBIs, De La Cruz and Carroll switched positions, with Carroll now at -130.
In his second game on Wednesday, De La Cruz — seemingly a triple threat in speed, arm and power — hit a 458-foot home run and timed it in an MLB-best 10.93 seconds to hit a triple against the Dodgers.
In Thursday’s game — his third — he went 1-for-4 with one stolen base and currently carries a slated streak of .364/.462/.909 with a 1.371 OPS.
With the addition of De La Cruz, it looks like the Reds will land Rookie of the Year.
Other big red and white contenders include Matt McClain, who sits at +2500, Spencer Steer (+3000), and Andrew Abbott (+4000).
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This year in the Louisville minors, De La Cruz posted a slant streak of .298/.398/.633 over 38 games for 12 home runs, 36 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases.
He has been in the palace under the Reds since 2019.
