Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | HOU | OF | 29 | 35 |
Grades Update: Jan 2021
| OFP | Role | Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 30 | 45 | 40 | 50 | 45 | 45 |
Jan 2021 Report
Evaluator: Trevor Hooth
Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2013 IFA
RuleV: Eligible
Physical Description: Long, lean frame. High waist. There's still some projection left, particularly in the upper half.
Hit: Even stance. Slight bend in the knees. Upper half stays tall. Hands start over his shoulder, but above his head. Lots of up and down movement from the bat head pre pitch. Hands remain loud through the load. Utilizes a double toe tap to start the swing. Quick hands allow him to get around on velocity. Extremely patient at the plate, not afraid of starting a count 0-2 in any situation. That leaves little room for error, which makes his strikeout numbers higher than where is bat to ball skills are at. He hunts for pitches inside to accentuate a very pull heavy approach. Grade: 45
Power: Quick hands and some loft give De La Cruz some pop. The higher the level, the more the power is limited to his pull side. The raw power suggests more in the tank. He can do damage on very specific pitches right now. Learning to spread the power around the diamond would go a long way. Grade: 40
Field: He's played right field for the Astros. He's got more than enough defensive ability to stick on the corner. This is the best part of his game. Grade: 50
Arm: The arm is strong enough for right field. It would play above average in left. Grade: 45
Run: There is some speed with De La Cruz. He'll be able to steal a base here and there based on speed, but hasn't shown the instinct to do so consistently. Grade: 45
Overall: The calling card for De La Cruz is his defense. He would be an above average defender in left, but has plenty of chops to stick in right field. Right now it's a clear hit over power profile at the plate, but his quick hands make it seem like there's room for those two tools to draw even. The better the pitching, the more he's relied on pulling the ball. The defense would play easily if the bat would allow.
OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: High
