Socking homers at record rates, swiping bags with precision rarely seen, and switching teams mid-year and failing to miss a beat - those are the characteristics that Elly De La Cruz and Christian Encarnacion-Strand had on full display during their minor league season.
Their exploits did not go unnoticed, either. MLB Pipeline named both to their Prospect Team of the Year on Thursday, with Elly making the first team and CES landing on the second.
De La Cruz shuttled between High-A Daytona and AA Chattanooga on his way to socking 28 homers and swiping 47 bags, showing the kind of elite bat speed and athleticism in his 6’5” frame that made him one of the breakout stars of the 2021 MiLB campaign, too.