Nationals Sign Carlos De La Cruz To Minor-League Deal
The Washington Nationals signed free-agent outfielder Carlos De La Cruz to a minor-league deal on Wednesday that doesn't include an invitation to major-league spring training, according to a source. De La Cruz is a 6-foot-8 outfielder who spent the last six seasons in the minors with the Philadelphia Phillies. He has plenty of power potential but also swings and miss a lot. The 25-year-old swings from the right side of the plate. In 113 games with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2024, De La Cruz hit .234/.302/.367 with a .669 OPS, 11 home runs, 53 RBI, six stolen bases and 47 runs scored in 454 plate appearances. He is going to need to cut down on his swings and misses if he wants to make his major-league debut in 2025 for a Nationals team that has a lot of up-and-coming young talent in the outfield. De La Cruz will likely start at Triple-A Rochester.
Philadelphia Phillies outfield/first base prospect Carlos De La Cruz is being promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, according to MiLB Central. De La Cruz has logged 232 games at the Double-A level over the past three seasons and held an overall .263/.338/.456 line with 39 home runs, 125 RBI, nine stolen bases, and an 86:290 BB:K ratio. This season, he maintained a .262/.314/.427 slash line with eight round-trippers, 35 RBI, five stolen bases, and a 24:85 BB:K ratio, which is right in line with his career average at Double-A. However, De La Cruz struggled in the lower levels of the minor leagues so it is promising to see him perform better against tougher competition. The number 12 ranked prospect in the Philadelphia system on MLB.com could push for a late-season promotion if he can continue to showcase his upside power at Triple-A and lower his hefty strikeout rate.
Carlos De La Cruz
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Nationals
