Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds Are Not Of This Earth After Rookie Hits For Cycle, Team Wins 12th Straight

The Cincinnati Reds won their 12th straight game in a row on Friday and don't look now, but they are baseball's hottest team.

Yes, the Reds - who just two months ago couldn't even bring in over 8,000 fans to their Great American Ball Park, are now selling out crowds of over 43,000. And they can thank Elly De La Cruz for it.

The 21-year-old prospect has been an absolute sensation for a sport that is desperate to connect with the younger generation. Last night, De La Cruz once again delivered - becoming the youngest MLB player since 1972 to hit for the cycle, as the Reds defeated the Atlanta Braves 11-10 in 10 innings. The wildest part? He did it in just his 15th game in the big leagues!

DE LA CRUZ CAN HIT, RUN AND PLAY DEFENSE AT A TOP LEVEL

De La Cruz is doing everything the right way - both on the field with his performance as well as the attitude he brings, unlike someone like Wander Franco of the Rays.

It has paid off - the Reds are in sole possession of first place in the NL Central, with a 1.5 game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers. Most importantly? They are FUN to watch.

Meanwhile De La Cruz - who is an absolute entertaining talent to see on the field, has earned the respect of not only the fans, but his teammates as well. Reds 6x All-Star first baseman Joey Votto was at a loss for words when trying to describe Elly's skillset after last night's game to reporters.

Despite it being the 'dog days of summer' Elly isn't letting that affect him. He's hitting .361 so far this season, with 10 RBI, 3 home runs and 7 stolen bases. As the Reds sit at 41-35 and are suddenly a team people need to be paying attention to.