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Big Red Machine! De La Cruz rips 117.3 mph double

Top-ranked Reds prospect laces 4th-hardest ball in Triple-A of 2023
@memheller
June 4, 2023

Thirty-two balls have been hit at least 116 mph this year at the Major League and Triple-A levels. Seven of those came from Elly De La Cruz's bat. The only other batters to break 116 multiple times this season are: Giancarlo Stanton (4), Jake Burger, Jo Adell and Ronald Acuña

Thirty-two balls have been hit at least 116 mph this year at the Major League and Triple-A levels. Seven of those came from Elly De La Cruz's bat.

The only other batters to break 116 multiple times this season are: Giancarlo Stanton (4), Jake Burger, Jo Adell and Ronald Acuña Jr. (2).

Baseball's No. 4 overall prospect added to his collection on Sunday. Down seven with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, things were looking meek for Triple-A Louisville. But De La Cruz doesn't quite know how to quit. The top-ranked Reds prospect smoked a 94 mph fastball from Andrew Politi down the right-field line for a stand-up double.

The radar showed the exit velocity: 117.3 mph.

It was the fourth-hardest hit ball in Triple-A this season, and the ninth-hardest picked up by Statcast.

It should be no surprise that as the king of exit velocity, EDLC not only has the hardest hit at any level (118.8), but also finds his name three times in the year’s top 10.

Melanie Heller is a contributor for MiLB.com.