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2026 Fantasy Baseball Player Profile

Elly De La Cruz’s 2025 season was a study in durability and frustrating power regression. While he was one of only four players in MLB to play all 162 games, the "electric" production from his 2024 breakout cooled significantly. He slashed .264/.336/.440 with 22 home runs and 86 RBI—respectable numbers, but a step back from his 6.6 fWAR sophomore campaign. Most notably, his stolen base total plummeted from a league-leading 67 to just 37, as a strained left quadriceps sapped his leg strength for much of the second half. This injury also fueled a major power drought; he hit only four home runs after the All-Star break, finishing with a dismal .666 OPS in the final two months.

Entering 2026, the primary headline in Goodyear is De La Cruz’s physical transformation. The 24-year-old shortstop arrived at spring training noticeably bulked up, weighing in at 217 pounds (up from 205). He has declared his quad "fully healed" and emphasized a goal of greater consistency under new manager Terry Francona. Off the field, De La Cruz made waves by turning down a record-breaking contract extension worth more than $225 million, opting instead to play out his final pre-arbitration year. To prioritize his health and the Reds’ postseason push, he also made the difficult decision to skip the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

For fantasy managers, De La Cruz remains a polarizing first-round talent with an ADP around 10.