The Cincinnati Reds have turned themselves into one of the most exciting teams in baseball.
One reason for that is that they have called up some very good prospects.
The Reds have played themselves into first place in the NL Central and look like serious playoff contenders.
Look no further than the Reds’ rookies for the reason behind the team’s success this season.
According to MLB, the Reds lead baseball in hits, home runs, and RBI by rookies this year.
The @Reds lead baseball in hits (253) home runs (31), and RBI (124) by rookies in 2023.
These midseason call-ups have played a big part.
(MLB x @MattressFirm) pic.twitter.com/JhTg4OFQT5
— MLB (@MLB) July 3, 2023
The two big names are Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain.
Both hit in the top four of the Reds lineup and have played at an All-Star level.
It is rare for rookies to have this much success in their first season.
But they have shown no signs of slowing down.
After being bad for many years the Reds have cashed in on draft picks and international signings to build a strong roster.
The Reds won another game on the 4th of July where their rookies played a major role.
De La Cruz went 4-4 and raised his season average to .308.
Both De La Cruz and McLain have batting averages over .300 and OPS marks over .800.
While those are the two big names, there are a few other rookie contributors.
Spencer Steer is another Reds rookie having a great season.
He is batting .282 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI and nine stolen bases.
The Reds are one of the surprise teams in baseball this year.
It will be all on their rookies to lead them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
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