Elly De La Cruz was named to the All-MLB Second Team on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, capping his 2026 season with an end-of-year distinction voted on by a combination of media members and fans to identify the best players in baseball regardless of league. The shortstop is the first Cincinnati Red to land on an All-MLB team since Nick Castellanos claimed a Second Team spot in 2021 — a five-year gap that makes this recognition a genuine organizational milestone. De La Cruz delivering at a level that draws league-wide recognition matters, and the 2026 season was the proof.

What the All-MLB Second Team Selection Represents

The All-MLB teams are voted on by a combination of media members and fan balloting and are designed to identify the best players in baseball regardless of league. Making the Second Team means De La Cruz's 2026 performance was evaluated against every shortstop in the sport and found to be among the very best.

  • De La Cruz is the first Cincinnati Red named to an All-MLB team since Nick Castellanos in 2021
  • Only one prior Cincinnati Red has earned this honor — Castellanos, five years ago
  • De La Cruz's rookie eligibility expired prior to the 2026 season, meaning this recognition reflects his standing as an established major-league shortstop rather than a prospect exceeding expectations

The Franchise Context Around This Honor

Five years is a long time between All-MLB selections for any organization. Castellanos earned his spot in 2021 during a strong offensive campaign, then departed in free agency after that season. Since then, the Reds have been building around a younger core, with De La Cruz at the center of it. His selection in 2026 represents the first time since Castellanos left that Cincinnati has had a player perform at a level that registers on this stage.

De La Cruz is on the active roster and his rookie eligibility had already expired entering 2026, so this is not a breakout story — it is a confirmation story. This is a player in the middle of his career getting recognized for what he produced over a full season, evaluated against every shortstop in the sport and found to be among the very best.

The Standard De La Cruz Had to Clear

All-MLB team selections are not handed out for reputation or upside. Voters assess what a player actually did over 162 games — offensive production, defensive value, durability, and impact relative to the position. For a shortstop, the bar is especially high given the depth of talent at the position across both leagues. De La Cruz cleared it in 2026.

The significance of that is worth sitting with. The All-MLB teams were introduced in 2019 and recognize two players per position — a First Team and a Second Team selection. That means only two shortstops in all of Major League Baseball earn the honor in any given year. De La Cruz was one of them in 2026. The Reds had not placed a player on either All-MLB team since Castellanos did it five years ago. This is not a minor postseason note. It is the kind of recognition that defines how a player's season is remembered.

What made De La Cruz's 2026 campaign award-worthy was the combination of tools he brought to bear over a full season. His speed on the basepaths, his range up the middle, and his ability to generate offensive production from the shortstop position all factored into the evaluation. The All-MLB selection is the external validation of a season that Reds fans watched unfold at Great American Ball Park and on the road throughout the year.

What Comes Next for De La Cruz

With the 2026 season now in the books and the offseason underway, De La Cruz heads into the winter with All-MLB hardware and a résumé that now includes two All-MLB selections — this 2026 recognition and any prior honor captured in the franchise's history with the award. He is two seasons removed from the last time a Cincinnati Red was acknowledged at this level. That is no longer a drought the organization has to explain. De La Cruz ended it.

The 2027 season is still months away. The offseason work — roster construction, free agency, trades — will determine what kind of team surrounds De La Cruz when play resumes. But the foundation is identifiable. The Reds have a shortstop who just earned All-MLB Second Team recognition for his 2026 performance, and that is the kind of anchor a front office can build around.

For the Reds, the offseason question becomes how to build around that. De La Cruz has done his part. This award is the proof.