Deion Sanders’ Rare MLB Record Under Jeopardy By This Reds Sensation

Legends are born on the field; their names are whispered in locker rooms decades later. Elly De La Cruz, the Cincinnati Reds’ electric shortstop, is carving his own place in baseball lore. His blazing speed and daring base-running echo a ghost from the past—the legendary Deion Sanders. They’re separated by a generation yet linked by their dominance in a single electrifying stat: stolen bases.

De La Cruz’s explosive start has experts rubbing their eyes. His tally of 18 stolen bases before May 1st evidently hasn’t been seen since “Prime Time” Sanders himself stormed the league in 1997. Could De La Cruz be poised to rewrite the record books?

Reds’ Elly De La Cruz achieves rare milestone mirroring Deion Sanders’ legacy

There’s something mesmerizing about watching De La Cruz on the basepaths. He’s not just fast; he’s a student of his prey. Every pitcher has a tell, a subtle shift in their windup that De La Cruz picks apart like a master lockpicker. Then, with a burst that seems to defy physics, he’s gone, a blur of red against the diamond dust.

The numbers speak for themselves. MLB Network couldn’t help but take notice: “The @Reds star has more steals than 16 MLB teams this season.” It’s a stat that both amuses and stings, especially for those trailing in his wake.

But De La Cruz isn’t just about flash. Talk to his coaches and his teammates, and they’ll tell you about the relentless work ethic and the extra hours in the batting cage. They’ll tell you about a young man wise beyond his years, a player who sees the game in a way few others can.

The echoes of Deion Sanders are there, not in imitation but in spirit. De La Cruz has that same hunger and that same electricity that makes sitting through a scoreless inning feel like a crime. This isn’t just about breaking a record; this is about reshaping the game, about proving that even in an era of analytics and launch angles, pure unadulterated speed can still rattle the foundations of baseball.

Elly De La Cruz: More than just speed

Don’t get it twisted—Elly De La Cruz isn’t a one-trick pony. His power is growing, and his glovework at shortstop is as slick as an oil spill. But it’s that base-stealing prowess that sets him apart. It forces opposing teams to rewrite their game plans, to hesitate, and to second-guess every pitch. And that hesitation is all the Reds’ lineup needs to wreak havoc.

Let’s be real: Deion Sanders didn’t just steal bases; he dominated the game at the plate too. His 1996 season was a masterclass: 127 hits, 169 total bases, and a batting average flirting with .300. And those 56 stolen bases? That was the exclamation point for an already stellar season. He even had the audacity to swipe four bases in a single game, even when the team was losing. That’s the kind of relentless competitor De La Cruz channels.

De La Cruz is building a similarly formidable resume. His 2023 campaign boasted 13 home runs, 44 RBIs, and an impressive 35 stolen bases in just 98 games. With his growth trajectory, surpassing those totals feels inevitable. The whispers are growing louder. Could he threaten Deion Sanders’ hallowed record of 56 stolen bases? It’s the question that hangs in the air after every swipe, every daring scamper from first to second. Maestros are debating, fans are buzzing—and the pitchers, well, they’re probably getting a few more gray hairs from the palpable stress from the possibility of facing him.

If 2024’s baseball scene needed any more jolts of adrenaline, Elly De La Cruz is delivering it in spades. He’s not just a player to watch but a force to be reckoned with, a name that will be etched not just into Cincinnati’s record books but into the annals of baseball history.