GOODYEAR, Ariz. –– Two of the brightest stars in the Cincinnati Reds’ farm system have been set back by minor injuries, and they won’t be ready for the start of the season.
Reds shortstop prospect Elly De La Cruz, a consensus top-10 prospect in baseball, was injured on March 18 with a left hamstring strain. He’s due back on April 12.
Reds infield prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand was originally injured on February 13 with a slight disc herniation in his back. He only missed a few days of spring training in February and went on to become one of the top hitters in the Cactus League, hitting .