Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | DET | OF | 16 | 45 |
Grades Update: Nov 2020
| OFP | Role | Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 45 | 60 | 50 | 60 | 55 |
Nov 2020 Report
Evaluator: Chris Brown
Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 195 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022
Physical Description: Thick, well-proportioned, and strong. Explosive athlete with big forearms and calves. Room to add more mass to his chest, biceps, and thighs. If he fills out with good weight he'll look like an NFL running back.
Hit: Sets up with a narrow base, with knees roughly one foot apart. Relaxed, open stance with hands at chin level and bat held up at a 45-degree angle. Uses a big leg kick and sinks his hips before whipping bat through the zone. Shows easy plus bat speed, but an aggressive, pull- heavy approach and pitch recognition issues may limit the utility of his hit tool. Grade: 45
Power: Plus bat speed, good trunk rotation, and strong wrists and forearms help him produce excellent exit velocity and plus power. Can take the ball way out of the park to left field and center. Approach doesn't lead to much oppo pop, but he will hit his share of line-drive doubles. Grade: 60
Field: A natural center fielder with the instincts and present speed to handle the position. Unlikely to be more than average there, and as he fills out he may be forced to move to right. Grade: 50
Arm: Shows plus arm strength with solid throwing mechanics and accuracy. Grade: 60
Run: Has plus long speed but it plays to above-average in games because of a slow first step. Likely drops to average once he finishes growing. Grade: 55
Overall: From a pure tools perspective, Jose De La Cruz has one of the highest ceilings in the Detroit system. He projects as a prototypical power-hitting right fielder, but there's a slim chance he retains his current running ability and ends up a power/speed center fielder. His hit tool is still very raw, and he'll need to improve his pitch selection to make it out of Low-A ball.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench / Platoon
Risk: Extreme
