Elly De La Cruz, in dynasty and redraft. The FanRanked staff dynasty board has Cruz ahead, Cruz #5 and McGonigle #12, and the expert consensus agrees (#8 and #15). The community agrees too, FRV 81.6 to 73.8. For 2026 redraft, the consensus has Cruz ahead, #4 to #63.
JD on Elly De La Cruz (Sep 24, 2026): Elly has come on like a bat out of hell in the last month, and gone from my 10th-ranked dynasty asset to the 5th-ranked in the process. He is one of the bonafide faces of the MLB at this point, despite being only 24 years old, because he's been around since he 2023 and has performed at an elite level every year. This year he has taken another step forward and improved in basically every measurable category but the two that I find the most compelling are the nearly 3 mph jump in avg exit velocity and the 11% walk rate, despite keeping his swing and miss largely the same compared to 2025. We are one launch angle adjustment away from him being a perennial 40-plus home run threat, but I do love that in general his game seems to be shifting from more of a speed-based profile to a power profile. Another a unique aspect of Elly's profile is that he suddenly became a lefty masher in 2026 after being clearly deficient against lefties for his career. Prior to this year I would have argued that Elly should only hit from the left side but this year he slashed over 1,000 OPS against lefties, with 10 home runs in only 181 PA (vs 18 HR in 428 PA vs righties). I'll be curious to see if this is just an aberration or something that persists on a yearly basis going forward. I don't really have any complaints with Elly. The only reason he's not the top tier for me is the same reason James Wood's isn't: the inflated K rate is going to lead to streakiness and that's not something I can overlook. I can see an argument for taking Elly over James Wood but I don't have him over my top three guys right now.
JD on Kevin McGonigle (Oct 4, 2026): There's a lot to like about Kevin McGonigle after his first season in the big leagues. I wish he could've ended the season with more walks than strikeouts, as that would've been an incredible achievement for a rookie in today's game. As it stood he still walked 95 times while only striking out 100 times. He also really found his power stroke in the second half, hitting 10 home runs across 255 AB (which equates to about a 25 HR pace over a full season) while taking a step back in OBP and walk rate compared to the first half (14.5% vs. 11.9%). That profile plays better in fantasy for sure, and I think the Tigers would like McGonigle to tap into his power stroke more often rather than being passive at the plate. So, what is the risk here? In my opinion there are two paths he can go down. Option A: He is one of the most valuable players in baseball, but the fantasy pedigree never really catches up and his actual 5x5 performance trail his real life value. High OBP, but only 15-20 HR a year with limited SB as he matures. Option B: He continues to improve offensively, keeps turning the gap power into HR power, and maintains a high average while getting to 30 HRs regularly. This is easily a top 5 player imo. If I had to be, I would think he turns into option B, and I'm willing to put all my chips in to acquire McGonigle wherever he is available.
Data as of . Consensus boards refresh daily; the staff board moves when it is republished.
| Metric | Elly De La Cruz | Kevin McGonigle |
|---|---|---|
| Team | CIN | DET |
| Position | SS | SS/3B |
| Age | 24 | 22 |
| Staff Dynasty Rank | #5 | #12 |
| Dynasty Consensus Rank | #8 | #15 |
| Redraft Consensus Rank | #4 | #63 |
| FRV (FanRanked Value) | 81.6 | 73.8 |
| Expert Sources | 11 | 11 |
| Dynasty Rank Range | #5–#20 | #13–#21 |
| Rest-of-Season Value | $1 | $1 |
| $ Earned Year to Date | $33 | $19 |
| ROS Rank (Top 300) | #137 | #179 |
| 30-Day Consensus Move | Down 1 spot | No move |
| Stat | Elly De La Cruz | Kevin McGonigle |
|---|---|---|
| PA | 636 | 707 |
| HR | 30 | 18 |
| R | 99 | 97 |
| RBI | 79 | 72 |
| SB | 30 | 12 |
| AVG | .283 | .278 |
| OBP | .365 | .376 |
| SLG | .515 | .430 |
| OPS | .880 | .806 |
| wOBA | .380 | .357 |
| xwOBA | .376 | .355 |
Price a Elly De La Cruz-for-Kevin McGonigle trade in the Dynasty Trade Calculator · compare their rest-of-season dollars in the Roto & Redraft Trade Analyzer