Elly De La Cruz had an impressive 2024 season for the Reds, posting a .259/.339/.471 slash line with 71 extra-base hits and leading the league with 697 stolen bases. However, he also topped the league with 218 strikeouts and committed 29 errors.
Reds broadcaster Jeff Brantley appeared on Mo Egger’s show on ESPN 1530 this week to discuss the upcoming season and how De La Cruz can take his game to the next level with greater consistency.
“We’ve all seen the excitement and the incredible talent Elly brings to the field,” Brantley said. “There’s nothing he can’t do out there. Now, the key is to be consistently great—not just consistently okay. Be great every time you step on the field.
“If your standard is just to be good, you’ll eventually fall below that. Your mindset has to be about striving for greatness, to be elite on every pitch. That way, even if you fall short, you’re still at a high level—dropping from 95 to 85 instead of from 75 to 50.”
It’s worth noting that 2025 will only be De La Cruz’s second full season in the majors. With his potential, there’s every reason to believe he’ll continue to improve and emerge as a true star.
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