5 overreactions to first week of Reds' spring training: Frankie Montas is Cincy's ace

The Cincinnati Reds are a week into Cactus League play and the early results are quite good. The majority of players in camp are healthy, and no one has been declared out of the mix for the Opening Day roster.

The expectations surrounding this year's Reds team seem to be growing by the day. The players themselves are extremely confident, the Cincinnati faithful are eager to fill Great American Ball Park on Opening Day, and even some of the national media is beginning to take notice.

But spring games oftentimes bring exaggerated projections and overreactions. Remember, Reds fans, it's barely March. With a week's worth of Cactus League games in the books, what four overreactions to the first week of Reds' spring training?

5 overreactions to first week of Reds' spring training

Reds SS Elly De La Cruz strikes out too much

Last season, Elly De La Cruz wowed the crowds at Great American Ball Park with his blazing fast speed, tremendous pop, and ridiculous arm strength. De La Cruz has the makings of a superstar, and almost every baseball fan can see it.

There is one problem though - De La Cruz struck out a ton during his rookie season. According to FanGraphs, De La Cruz went down on strikes 33.7% of the time in 2023. That's not good, and was a point of emphasis for De La Cruz this winter.

In the first week of spring training, it's been more of the same from the free swinging shortstop. De La Cruz, who's had his moments early on, has also struck out quite a bit. Last year's rookie phenom went down swinging three times against the Chicago Cubs earlier this week.

But don't let the first week of spring training cloud your judgment when it comes to De La Cruz. Pitchers are typically ahead of the hitters at this point in the spring. And while the Ks seem to be piling up early during Cactus League play, De La Cruz has appeared more patient at the dish overall.

It's easy to think that Elly De La Cruz's free swinging nature will be his downfall, but don't get sucked into the idea that the first week of spring ball is precursor for the rest of the season. If De Le Cruz can cut down on strikeouts by just a tiny amount, it will yield fantastic results in 2024.