The countdown for the longest home runs hit by Cincinnati Reds players in the 2023 season is coming to a close, with Elly De La Cruz topping the list. De La Cruz secured five of the top 10 spots on this list.
Advancements in technology over the past decade have enabled us to measure home run distances with a reasonable level of accuracy. With ball tracking systems in place in major league baseball, we can precisely determine how far a baseball has traveled after being hit. Throughout this offseason, we’ve been unveiling the top 10 longest home runs hit by the Reds in the 2023 season, and today marks the conclusion of this countdown.
Metrics Behind The Blast
With a runner on first base, Xzavion Curry thought he could get a curveball for a strike on the outside corner. Unfortunately for him he missed and the curveball came in on the inner third and Elly De La Cruz didn’t miss any part of it. The ball left his bat at 119.2 MPH and landed 467 feet away – deep into the right-center stands.
Distance Metrics
Distance: 467 Feet
Reds Ranks: 1st
Major League Baseball Rank: 18th (tie)
Elly De La Cruz Rank: 1
Other Metrics
Launch Angle: 28°
Exit Velocity: 119.2 MPH
Reds Exit Velocity Rank (home runs only): 1st (out of 198)
MLB Exit Velocity Rank (home runs only): 2nd (out of 6162)
The Story Behind The Blast
It had been a tough month for Elly De La Cruz. He hadn’t homered since August 23rd. But he hit a long home run in the 4th inning on this day. Lucas Giolito executed the pitch that his catcher called for, but De La Cruz didn’t care and hit it 420 feet into center field to cut Cleveland’s lead to 6-5. Five innings later the infielder came to the plate with his team in the lead. He was able to turn a 2-run lead into a 4-run lead, picking up a second home run on the day. It was his first multi-homer game in the big leagues. It also turned out to be his final home run of the season.
