(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is just 21 years old.
He only has 18 games at the MLB level under his belt.
Yet, he is doing all kinds of amazing stuff, like winning a Player of the Week award.
MLB announced that he and Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. were the NL and AL Players of the Week, respectively.
Luis Robert Jr.: .444 AVG, 1.635 OPS, 4 HR, 5 RBI
Elly De La Cruz: .440 AVG, 1.342 OPS, 2 HR, 5 RBI, hit for cycle on Friday night
Your AL and NL @Chevrolet Players of the Week! pic.twitter.com/WgFiGaHUSu
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2023
During the period that started last Monday and ended this past Sunday, De La Cruz had a .440 batting average and a 1.342 OPS.
He also hit two home runs and drove in five runs.
His most important achievement, however, was a cycle on Friday during his 15th MLB game.
It’s the first time a Reds player hit for the cycle since 1989.
Overall during the week, the dynamic shortstop slashed a cool .440/.462/.880 with two homers, three doubles, and two stolen bases.
Three Reds have been named Player of the Week already this year: De La Cruz, Nick Senzel, and fellow rookie Matt McLain.
For the season as a whole, De La Cruz is hitting .315/.375/.562 with three home runs and eight stolen bases.
Remember, he has played only 18 games, so the projections are actually off the charts.
The Reds’ rookies and young players are taking the league by storm and leading the franchise to an unlikely second place in the NL Central with a 41-38 record.
They were first as of Monday, but lost to the Baltimore Orioles and the Milwaukee Brewers surpassed them.
It will be a fascinating race for the top spot all year long, and De La Cruz will be there to help the Reds as much as he can.
The post Elly De La Cruz Picked Up His First MLB Honor This Week appeared first on The Cold Wire.