Padres' star provides the Reds a blueprint for moving Elly De La Cruz to the outfield

When it comes to Elly De La Cruz's defense, the noise is getting louder. The Cincinnati Reds have a superstar-in-the-making, but there are still some wrinkles to iron out; the biggest of which might be De La Cruz's long-term fit at shortstop. It seems as if there are two different factions within the Reds fanbase, and both are dug in rather deeply.

On the one hand, De La Cruz's 6-foot-5 frame is oftentimes cited as a reason he can't remain at shortstop over the long haul. The 22-year-old's league-leading 29 errors is something far too many Reds fans cannot overlook.

On the flip side, there's the argument involving advanced metrics that support of the idea of keeping De La Cruz at shortstop. De La Cruz ranked fourth among all Major League shortstops with 15 outs above average (OAA) according to Baseball Savant.

Should the Reds follow the Padres' model and move Elly De La Cruz to the outfield?

It would seem unlikely, at least heading into next season, that Cincinnati would consider moving De La Cruz to the outfield. The budding superstar has spent his entire professional career on the infield dirt, and while his tantalizing combination of speed and arm strength could see De La Cruz turn into a Gold Glover in the outfield, it's not as if Cincinnati has the best track record turning infielders into outfielders. Former Reds first-round pick Nick Senzel comes to mind.

But there is a great example of what a player with De La Cruz's talent looks like after making the switch from shortstop to the outfield. San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. came up as a shortstop, but moved to the outfield on a permanent basis in 2022.

According to FanGraphs, from 2019-2021, Tatis was worth -9 defensive runs saved (DRS) and committed 42 errors in 242 games at shortstop. Though a suspension kept Tatis off the field for 80 games near the end of the 2022 season and into 2023, the Padres young star has committed just 11 errors since he returned last season and has been worth 29 DRS. If you're into outs above average, Tatis has been worth -7 OAA at shortstop and 6 OAA in the outfield.

Edwin Arroyo may be the biggest reason the Reds even consider moving Elly De La Cruz to the outfield

Don't look for the Reds to quickly pivot from playing De La Cruz at shortstop heading to Goodyear, Arizona next spring. The 2024 Major League leader in stolen bases will all but be locked in to playing shortstop for the Reds next season.

But there is an emerging young shortstop who could push the Reds to make a move. Edwin Arroyo, who missed the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery, will be getting some work in this month at the Arizona Fall League. While De La Cruz can make the impossible play look easy, Arroyo is a highly regarded defender who'll be looking to make his presence known when the Reds arrive in Goodyear in February.

If De La Cruz continues to struggle with his defense in 2025, don't be surprised if the noise continues to grow for the team to shift their young star off the infield dirt and onto the outfield grass.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors