Carlos De La Cruz
1B | Bats/Throws: R/R | 6' 8" 208LBS | Age: 25
MLB Pipeline Rank
PA AB R H HR SB AVG OBP SLG OPS
2024 175 163 11 31 3 1 .190 .240 .276 .516
Career Minors 2,302 2,065 258 500 70 29 .242 .314 .400 .714
AVG HR SB OPS
2024 .190 3 1 .516
Career Minors .242 70 29 .714

Standard Minor League Batting Statistics

SeasonTmLGLGPAABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOSBCSHBPAVGOBPSLGOPS
2018 GCL Phillies East GCL ROK 43 165 148 20 42 8 0 6 21 11 56 2 1 4 .284 .345 .459 .804
2019 Lakewood BlueClaws SAL A(Full) 117 461 428 38 94 17 4 7 50 27 159 7 7 4 .220 .271 .327 .598
2021 3 Teams Minors 63 237 204 23 37 9 0 5 26 26 87 5 0 6 .181 .291 .299 .590
2021 FCL Phillies FCL ROK 9 30 20 3 4 0 0 0 1 8 8 3 0 2 .200 .467 .200 .667
2021 Clearwater Threshers A SE A 37 139 122 10 18 5 0 2 11 13 56 2 0 4 .148 .252 .238 .490
2021 Jersey Shore BlueClaws A+ E A+ 17 68 62 10 15 4 0 3 14 5 23 0 0 0 .242 .294 .452 .746
2022 2 Teams Minors 102 403 365 50 99 22 2 17 47 27 120 6 2 8 .271 .333 .482 .815
2022 Jersey Shore BlueClaws SAL A+ 64 241 214 29 57 10 1 10 24 19 75 5 2 7 .266 .344 .463 .807
2022 Reading Fightin Phils EAS AA 38 162 151 21 42 12 1 7 23 8 45 1 0 1 .278 .315 .510 .825
2023 Reading Fightin Phils EAS AA 129 582 509 80 132 25 1 24 67 54 160 3 0 14 .259 .344 .454 .798
2024 2 Teams Minors 113 454 411 47 96 18 2 11 53 32 148 6 1 9 .234 .302 .367 .669
2024 Reading Fightin Phils EAS AA 65 279 248 36 65 13 2 8 35 24 85 5 1 6 .262 .341 .427 .768
2024 Lehigh Valley IronPigs INT AAA 48 175 163 11 31 5 0 3 18 8 63 1 0 3 .190 .240 .276 .516

Scouting Report

2024

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

De La Cruz wasn't drafted in 2017 after his senior year at George Washington High School in New York, but the Phillies took a flier on him and his raw power after seeing him playing for the New York Nine Scout Team that summer. Things started to click in 2022 when he got to Double-A and mashed 17 homers before hitting well in the Arizona Fall League. A full season spent with Reading in 2023 yielded 24 more long balls, but he was left unprotected from the Rule 5 Draft this past offseason and went unselected.

At 6-foot-8, there's no question about De La Cruz's raw power, and he started to learn how to make adjustments to better pitching in Double-A to get to it more. While there's always going to be swing-and-miss to his game, he actually cut his strikeout rate in 2023 and upped his walk rate, controlling the zone better and not chasing as much as the idea that more consistent contact will lead to more home runs sunk in.

De La Cruz runs well, especially once underway, and has shown he can handle all three outfield spots. He saw more time in center field with Reading after Johan Rojas got called up and looked fine up the middle. He'll keep getting reps across the outfield and at first base to give the Phillies more options should they deem his power bat ready for Philadelphia.


2023

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

It may seem impossible for a 6-foot-8 player to fly completely off the radar, but that’s exactly what happened with De La Cruz. A product of George Washington High School in New York, the alma mater of Manny Ramirez, De La Cruz went undrafted in 2017. The Phillies noticed when he put up gaudy numbers that summer for the New York Nine Scout Team and took a flier, signing him as an undrafted free agent. He was nothing more than a feel-good story until 2022, when he played his way to Double-A, hitting 17 homers in the process, then performed well in the Arizona Fall League.

Especially given his size, De La Cruz has a solid feel to hit with a clean swing from the right side of the plate. There is work he needs to do in terms of his overall approach, with better pitch selection and discipline allowing him to tap into his considerable raw power, which could be plus with those adjustments. While he’s an average runner, he’s better once he gets underway.

De La Cruz is a better overall athlete than you might imagine given his size, and he does post good sprint speed numbers once he gets going. That allows him to track balls well underway in the outfield, and he’s shown he can handle all three spots out there, playing a better-than-expected center field, while also providing a very big target at first base when needed.



Awards




Transactions

Team Date Transaction
07/09/2024 OF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Lehigh Valley IronPigs from Reading Fightin Phils.
04/28/2024 Reading Fightin Phils activated OF Carlos De La Cruz from the 7-day injured list.
04/21/2024 Reading Fightin Phils placed OF Carlos De La Cruz on the 7-day injured list.
03/07/2024 Philadelphia Phillies Prospects activated OF Carlos De La Cruz.
01/18/2024 Philadelphia Phillies invited non-roster OF Carlos De La Cruz to spring training.
10/19/2023 OF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Gigantes del Cibao.
02/25/2023 OF Carlos De La Cruz roster status changed by Philadelphia Phillies.
02/25/2023 OF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Philadelphia Phillies.
09/16/2022 OF Carlos De La Cruz roster status changed by Surprise Saguaros.
09/16/2022 Surprise Saguaros activated OF Carlos De La Cruz.
08/01/2022 OF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Reading Fightin Phils from Jersey Shore BlueClaws.
08/01/2022 Reading Fightin Phils activated OF Carlos De La Cruz.
08/01/2022 Reading Fightin Phils activated OF Carlos De La Cruz.
04/23/2022 Jersey Shore BlueClaws activated OF Carlos De La Cruz.
04/08/2022 Jersey Shore BlueClaws transferred OF Carlos De La Cruz to the Development List.
03/30/2022 OF Carlos De La Cruz and assigned to Philadelphia Phillies.
08/10/2021 OF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Jersey Shore BlueClaws from Clearwater Threshers.
08/03/2021 OF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Clearwater Threshers from FCL Phillies.
06/29/2021 OF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to FCL Phillies from Clearwater Threshers.
05/13/2021 OF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Clearwater Threshers.
04/26/2021 Phillies Organization activated OF Carlos De La Cruz. ABS test.
04/26/2021 Phillies Organization activated OF Carlos De La Cruz. ABS test.
02/12/2021 RF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Clearwater Threshers.
02/12/2021 RF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Clearwater Threshers.
02/22/2020 RF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Philadelphia Phillies.
03/29/2019 RF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Lakewood BlueClaws from GCL Phillies East.
03/29/2019 RF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Lakewood BlueClaws.
02/28/2019 RF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to Philadelphia Phillies.
06/18/2018 RF Carlos De La Cruz assigned to GCL Phillies East.
08/23/2017 Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent OF Carlos De La Cruz to a minor league contract.