How fast is Elly De La Cruz? Reds phenom stuns Brewers after scoring from second base on pickoff attempt

David Suggs

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How fast is Elly De La Cruz? Reds phenom stuns Brewers after scoring from second base on pickoff attempt image

Elly De La Cruz's ascent up MLB's totem pole has been a sight to behold since he debuted in 2023. Even he couldn't dream up his latest feat, though.

The Reds star, known for his golden arm, eye-catching range, and, most importantly, his sprinter-like speed, enraptured the masses with a dash across the bags during Cincinnati's clash with the Brewers on Sunday afternoon.

This highlight was vastly different than the others he's accumulated during his young big-league career, however. For De La Cruz rounded (two of) the bases on a pickoff attempt.

The play in question occurred during the third inning. De La Cruz rested on second, taking base after a seven-pitch walk. With Colin Rea on the mound and Jeimer Candelario at the plate, De La Cruz sensed an opportunity to conjure up magic with his limbs.

Rea was already privy to De La Cruz's sprinting excellence, as he had swiped his 35th bag of the season a few pitches earlier.

MORE: Reds' Elly De La Cruz projects 80 stolen bases in 2024

Rea fired a pickoff attempt to shortstop Willy Adames in the hopes of keeping De La Cruz honest, but his effort strayed wide, sending Adames to the canvas. De La Cruz responded in kind, putting his head down and digging his cleats into the dust as he raced around the diamond.

De La Cruz raced past third base, enlivened by third base coach J.R. House's gesture to take home. The ball came back in a flourish, finding William Contreras' glove just as the Reds' blur approached home plate.

But it was too late. De La Cruz slipped beneath Contreras' grasp, sending a plume of soot into the air as he slid into home plate. He was safe. He made sure to let everyone in Milwaukee's American Family Field know it, too, letting loose a chest tap as he admired his work. 

It wasn't the first time De La Cruz dazzled onlookers this series. Just a few days earlier, he took Snoop Dogg's breath away with an inch-perfect dart to throw out fellow speedster Brice Turang from shortstop.

His legend continued to grow on Sunday. Who knows what's up next for one of baseball's truly awe-inspiring talents?

How fast is Elly De La Cruz?

De La Cruz is perhaps the fastest player in MLB. That's not an exaggeration, either. His 30 feet per second sprint speed ranks in the 99th percentile among qualified players in 2024. De La Cruz has the 30th-best home plate to first base time in MLB (4.23 seconds), better than speed demons Anthony Volpe, Wyatt Langford, and Oneil Cruz.

De La Cruz led the league in sprint speed in 2023, according to Baseball Savant. 

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.