“That’s about as dynamic as an athlete as you can get in baseball” – Gavin Lux on Elly De La Cruz and joining Reds’ young core

Elly De La Cruz has been one of the most exciting players in baseball since making his MLB debut in 2023. Even though there are still some areas of his game that need to be improved, the Cincinnati Reds shortstop's combination of power and speed has quickly made him must-watch television.

The 22-year-old took a major step forward in 2024, not only earning the first All-Star selection of his career but also finishing inside the top 10 in terms of National League MVP voting. Last year, De La Cruz posted a .254 batting average with 25 home runs, 76 RBIs and a whopping 67 stolen bases.

This is something that did not only impress fans across the league but even Elly's newest teammate Gavin Lux, who enjoyed watching him from afar.

Lux, who was acquired by the Cincinnati Reds from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, spoke on the latest episode of "MLB Hot Stove," discussing a wide array of topics, including his new superstar teammate.

"He's electric man. That’s about as dynamic as an athlete as you can get in baseball. We played him in Dodger Stadium last year, I think he stole four or five bases. ... I'm like, we've got to keep this guy off the bases because he's a problem right now. It's like you walk him or he gets a single, it turns into a triple," Gavin Lux said

Although the Cincinnati Reds shortstop's base-stealing ability gains most of the attention, as he leads all of MLB with 67 in 2024, other parts of his game are impressive too.

According to Baseball Savant, Elly was in the 88th percentile in terms of average exit velocity last year, making him one of the most powerful hitters in MLB. If he can improve his abilities at the plate, most notably his strikeouts, he could see his home run totals skyrocket.

"Obviously, he's got stupid juice, he can run, and he's a freak athlete. I'm excited to see him play everyday because that's about as high of a ceiling for a baseball player as you can get," Lux continued.

Gavin Lux and Elly De La Cruz will be looking to lead the Cincinnati Reds to the playoffs for the first time since 2020

The Cincinnati Reds have an exciting young core outside of Elly De La Cruz. However, there comes a time when that potential needs to start coming to fruition. The Reds have made a few significant moves this offseason in the hopes of returning to the playoffs in 2025.

So far this offseason, Cincinnati has added the likes of Brady Singer, Gavin Lux, and Jose Trevino in the hopes of taking the next step toward contention. While injuries played a key factor in the team's 77-85 record in 2024, if the team can remain healthy, they could be one of the clubs to keep an eye on in the playoff race.