Reds star Elly De La Cruz a challenge for fantasy baseball owners

Remember the Choose Your Own Adventure novels? Don’t you feel like you’re reading a fantasy roster when you create a fantasy roster?

Every decision you make affects your journey, and no matter what adventure you choose, injuries, cold streaks, age catching up with veterans, prospects not meeting expectations, etc. will always throw you off course. Something appears that tries to remove it.

Your adventure begins with a draft, where every decision counts.

One of the most divisive and exciting names is Ellie de la Cruz. Last season, the Reds shortstop appeared in 98 games, hitting 13 home runs, 44 RBIs and scoring 67 points.

He also stole 35 bases, the ninth-most in the majors (and more than 200 fewer at-bats than any player above him, not counting Estury Ruiz).

These numbers, in addition to improving the Reds’ lineup, will force fantasy managers to make big decisions in the draft (in dynasty leagues where players are already on the roster or in keeper leagues where players are given round value). ). His stock is soaring.

Your journey starts here. Choose your adventure:

1. Dela Cruz’s current average draft position is drafted at No. 29.58, based on 98 major league games, according to Fantasy Alarm.

2. Inherit Delacruz’s compelling skills and build a balanced roster with more established players.

3. Enter the haunted house and try to contact the spirit of Old Man Rutherford.

Knowing Delacruz’s potential, your first instinct may be to jump at adventure number one. That makes sense, but to help make a decision, let’s take a look at what the 2023 season actually said about the 22-year-old.

Dela Cruz hit .325 with four home runs, 16 RBIs, 28 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and an .887 OPS in his first 30 games. During that period, he led the majors in stolen bases and tied for the league lead in runs scored.

He had the 11th highest average and 18th best OPS. He also had the third-highest strikeout rate, seventh-worst walk rate, fifth-lowest hard-hit rate, and highest ground ball rate.

After the All-Star break, fantasy managers were forced into a whole new adventure (not all bad, but not all great either). Dela Cruz batted .191 in the second half with nine home runs, 28 RBIs, 39 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, and a .627 OPS.

He also had 105 strikeouts (36 percent) in 292 at-bats. After his hiatus, he had the second-worst strikeout rate, third-lowest batting average, fifth-lowest OBP, sixth-lowest OPS, and 13th-highest ground ball rate.

While it’s hard to ignore the exciting numbers (steals, runs scored, home runs), you can’t ignore Dela Cruz’s other numbers either. He has a batting average of .235, a 33.7 percent strikeout rate, a 53.9 percent ground ball rate, and more. Sure, he had his third-highest maximum exit velocity, but his launch angle and barrel rate weren’t anywhere near the top.

What about his .184 batting average against southpaws, or his .199 batting average at home? Did you know he hit .238 in July and .198 in August? Yes, he stole 12 bases in the final month of the season, but he also hit .202 with only five extra-base hits during that span. was recorded.

Can he make enough adjustments to turn these numbers around? If not, he’s looking at a long season.

This is why selecting Delacruz as a top 30 player is a big gamble. Don’t get me wrong, the limits of his abilities are very large. He has all the tools to be the league champion fantasy manager you dream of having on your team. On the other hand, he also has the tools (mostly shovels) to pad his team, as his floor potentially feels like a bottomless pit.

It’s a scary adventure to choose, especially when there are other, more established options. Loto Rage is against taking risks, so you might think this is Loto choosing a “safer” adventure.He is Reiji. That’s very wrong. This shows that Reiji chose a “smarter” adventure, as a small sample of his vast talent based on his size alone would not be enough to earn him a fantasy title.

Choose your adventures wisely, my friend.

guide to madness

draft preview special

Part 2/5

Roto Rage’s Jarrad Wilk is ranked as a middle infielder. next week: Corner infielder.

second baseman

1. Mookie Betts, LAD

2. Marcus Semien, Tex

3. Ozzie Albies, Atlanta

4. Matt McClain, Shin

5. Jose Altuve, Hou

6. Jazz Chisholm, Mia

7. Niko Hoerner, ChC

8. Gleyber Torres, New York

9. Thin Spencer Stare

10. Andres Jimenez, Cle

11. Nolan Gorman, StL

12. Zach Geroff, Oak

13. Tairo Estrada, SF

14. Ketel Marte, Ali

15. Edouard Julien, Min

16. Bryson Stott, Finance

17. Hasung Kim, SD

18. Bar Island Jordan Westberg

19. Christopher Morrell, ChC

20. Jonathan India, Singh

21. Tommy Edman, StL

22. Jorge Polanco, Sea

23. Luis Arraez, Mia

24. Whit Merrifield, Philippi

25. Amed Rosario, TB

26. Colonel Ryan McMahon

27. Justin Turner, Thor

28. Bryce Turan, Mill

29. Brandon Drury, LAA

30. Jeff McNeil, New York

31. Luis Rengifo, LAA

32. Jake Cronenworth, South Dakota

33. Jared Triolo, Pitt

34. Isaac Paredes, TB

35. Brandon Lowe, TB

36. Michael Massey, KC

37. Miguel Vargas, LAD

38. Josh Rojas, Sea

39. Gerardo Perdomo, Ali

40. Colonel Brendan Rodgers

41. John Bartty, Mia

42. Elvis Andrus, FA

43. Willi Castro, Min

44. Luis Garcia, was

45. Quique Hernandez, LAD

46. ​​Adam Frazier, KC

47. Jordan Diaz, Oak

48. Davis Schneider, Thor

49. Mauricio Dubon, Hou

50. Dr. Zach McKinstry

51. Luis Urias, Sea

52. Ramon Urias, Bar

53. Kolten Wong, Bal

54. Gavin Lux, LAD

55. Nicky Lopez, CWS

shortstop

1. Bobby Witt Jr., KC

2. Trea Turner, Phi

3. Mookie Betts, LAD

4. Corey Seager, Tex

5. Francisco Lindor, New York

6. Beau Bichette, Thor

7. Gunnar Henderson, Bal

8. Ellie de la Cruz, Shin

9. Anthony Volpe, New York

10. Matt McClain, Shin

11. Niko Hoerner, ChC

12. Dansby Swanson, ChC

13. O’Neal Crews, Pitt

14. Xander Bogaerts, SD

15. Mill Willie Adams

16. CJ Abrams, Was

17. Hasung Kim, SD

18. Tommy Edman, StL

19. Vaughn Grissom, The Boss

20. Ezequiel Tovar, Colonel

21. Tairo Estrada, SF

22. Amed Rosario, TB

23. Jeremy Pena, Hou

24. Michael Garcia, KC

25. Carlos Correa, Min

26. Trevor Story, Boss

27. Jordan Lawler, Ali

28. JP Crawford, Sea

29. Luis Rengifo, LAA

30. Javier Baez, Det.

31. Bryce Turan, Mill

32. Tim Anderson, Mia

33. Chris Taylor, LAD

34. Gerardo Perdomo, Ali

35. Meishin Win, StL

36. John Bartty, Mia

37. Marco Luciano, SF

38. Brian Rocchio, Cle

39. Zach Neto, LAA

40. Quique Hernandez, LAD

41. Brandon Crawford, StL

42. Elvis Andrus, FA

43. Orlando Arcia, Atlanta

44. Dr. Zach McKinstry

45. Nikki Lopez, CWS

46. ​​Jorge Mateo, Bar

47. Ezequiel Duran, Tex

48. Kyle Farmer, Min

49. Joey Wendle, New York

50. Miguel Rojas, LAD

51. Taylor Walls, TB

52. Santiago Espinal, Thor

53. Garrett Hampson, KC

54. Paul DeJong, CWS

55. Edmundo Sosa, Phi

This week’s team name

ET Telephone Bohm