Forgotten Reds slugger omitted from home run projection, but could be sneaky pick

It feels like a forgone conclusion that Elly De La Cruz will lead the Cincinnati Reds in home runs this season, doesn't it? After mashing 25 homers last year, De La Cruz is expected to duplicate his success in 2025. Even MLB.com recently predicted that De La Cruz will once again lead the Reds in home runs.

While De La Cruz is the safe and logical choice, don't forget about Jeimer Candelario. Eager to be more consistent this season, Candelario is coming off his first year in Cincinnati, one in which he muscled 20 home runs in just 112 games while playing through an injury. Candelario is inching closer to being named the Reds starting third baseman, and could be a sneaky-good choice to lead Cincinnati in home runs during the 2025 season.

Jeimer Candelario could be sneaky pick to lead the Reds in HRs

Famously a doubles hitter, Candelario has found a way to generate back-to-back 20-plus home run campaigns, all while battling injuries in 2024, including one that eventually required surgery. Ahead of his trip to the injured list last season, Candelario clocked two round-trippers in his final six games of the season to finish exactly with 20. If you gave him another full month of games, he might have had another three to five home runs.

Candelario's power was especially on full display during the month of June when he mashed eight home runs, including a pair of multi-home run games. If Candelario can find a way to consistently hit home runs at that rate again, he'll surely be giving De La Cruz a run for his money in 2025.

Candelario is off to a fine start this spring, and Reds fans are just hoping to see a level of production this season that helps to justify his hefty contract. Can Candelario actually lead the Reds in home runs? That remains to be seen, and he'll have plenty of competition from a number of players who could also rattle off 20-plus home runs. De La Cruz, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Matt McLain, and Tyler Stephenson will be vying for the team-lead in big flies during the upcoming season.

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