Should the Reds consider moving Elly De La Cruz to the outfield?
The Cincinnati Reds have a star in shortstop Elly De La Cruz. At only 24 years old, De La Cruz is already a two-time All-Star. However, the idea of De La Cruz following in Fernando Tatis Jr.'s footsteps and moving from shortstop to the outfield was recently mentioned on the Talkin' Baseball podcast.
Talkin' Jake pointed out that Tatis won the platinum glove in right field after making the position switch. Moving from a premier position like shortstop to right field could help to remove some stress as well -- which could ultimately lead to more all-around consistent offensive numbers.
De La Cruz is capable of making some incredible plays at shortstop. He's certainly had some memorable moments at the position. His primary strength on defense is his arm strength, however, as it ranked in the 93rd percentile in 2025. As far as range (outs above average) is concerned, though, De La Cruz ranked in the 23rd percentile.
He's also extremely fast, as De La Cruz's sprint speed was in the 91st percentile in 2025. Right fielders have to be able to move quickly in order to cover a lot of ground, but there's less overall pressure than playing in center field. Additionally, right fielders often have the best throwing arm among position players on most teams.
Tatis' move has worked out for the San Diego Padres. In 2025, Tatis ranked in the 99th percentile for arm strength, 94th percentile for range (OAA) and 82nd percentile for arm value. He ultimately won the second Gold Glove of his career following his strong defensive performance.
It obviously remains to be seen if the Reds are even open to the idea of moving De La Cruz to the outfield. And if they are, they would also need to convince their franchise player to make the position switch. It is possible that De La Cruz may prefer to stay at shortstop.
Another option down the road could simply be moving De La Cruz over to third base. The hot corner comes with less overall pressure than shortstop but requires a strong throwing arm -- and that is certainly not a problem for De La Cruz.
All things considered, remaining at shortstop is also an option. A move does not have to be made. Elly De La Cruz is still only 24 years old, so his defensive performance may improve.
A position switch could be considered in the future, though.