Elly De La Cruz may be the best player in the world, according to Terry Francona

Elly De La Cruz didn't have as sparkling a 2025 season as he did in 2024. But that doesn't mean the Cincinnati Reds player is a flash in the pan.

Quite the contrary, in fact.

His manager, Terry Francona, recently spoke to MLB Network about him. And to hear the skipper talk, it's clear that the young man has the tools he needs to become one of the best in his profession.

In fact, the veteran even said that if he were more consistent, he has what it takes to become the best ballplayer in the world.

https://twitter.com/MLBNetwork/status/1998132001417650538

But to do that, he'll have to look for ways to improve. And Francona is the first to say: he needs to do more to help his star get to the next level.

For example?

De La Cruz will never ask for it, but he will have to learn to rest. Tito says that, as manager, he'll have to tell him that he'll have to learn to miss games once in a while.

And defensively, it's by being more consistent in his relays that he could become, in the best of all possible worlds, the best ballplayer. Because yes, Francona sees him at position #6.

We agree that if De La Cruz were able to hit a few more home runs and was consistent in his cushion steals, he'd be an obvious candidate, if he has a good season, to join the 40/40 club. He's got those tools in his bag.

Will Francona find the recipe to make him shine? Because if he does, in a division that's not as tough as others, the Reds could give themselves a shot at the playoffs.

This content was created with the help of AI.