3 infielders the Reds should consider trading and 4 who should be off limits

Reds infielder Elly De La Cruz should be off limits this offseason

Elly De La Cruz began his major league campaign with a bang. The electric prospectst, known for his speed on the base paths, power from both sides of the plate, and a cannon for his right arm, showed off all his tools early and often in 2023.

Unfortunately, opposing pitchers quickly adapted and found a hole in De La Cruz's swing. Breaking balls off the plate became De La Cruz's nemesis and the rookie struggled mightily during the second-half of the season.

There were times when De La Cruz was almost unplayable due to his extremely high strikeout-rate. But despite his struggles, the talent shined through, and at 21 years old, even the harshest critic can see that De La Cruz has elite ability.

While the Cincinnati Reds could get an absolute haul if Elly De La Cruz were to be made available in trade discussions this offseason, the shortstop is one player that should be off limits. In fact, if a rival GM even whispers his name to Nick Krall, the Reds President of Baseball Operations should immediately hang up the phone.

Set aside the elite skillset for a moment, and think about the marketing opportunities that come along with a player like De La Cruz. His jersey sales are already among the Top 20 in Major League Baseball.

If he reaches his ceiling, as most believe he can, the sky is the limit for Elly De La Cruz. While this one was easy, it needs to be stated that De La Cruz should be off limits this offseason.