Reds lead NL Central thanks to their rookies

The Cincinnati Reds surprisingly sit atop the NL Central, largely thanks to several first-year players. The Reds have a 50-41 record as baseball enters its all-star break. They are a game in front of the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the division.

Cincinnati's success is mainly a result of its offensive prowess and defense. The Reds have scored the fifth most runs in the majors (454) and own a slash line of .257/.337/.416. Meanwhile, Cincinnati is 27th in ERA, 26th in WHIP, and 25th in BAA.

The rookies dominate as the Reds lead NL Central

Cincinnati struggled for the first two months. They lost 15 of their first 22 games this season. The Reds owned a 21-29 record and were six games back in the Central on May 29.

However, they have gone 29-12, which coincided with the arrival of starter Andrew Abbott and shortstop Elly Dela Cruz. Fellow first-year players Matt McClain and Spencer Steer have been solid all season. All totaled, 11 rookies have hit the field for Cincinnati. Here is a look at some of the top performers.

Spencer Steer

Steer, acquired at the trade deadline from Minnesota, has been with Cincinnati from the start of the season. After starting the campaign at third, the 25-year-old was moved across the diamond before the end of April. He has 12 appearances in the outfield.

Steer is hitting .277 on the season and ranks first on the team with 14 home runs and second with 51 RBI. Named May NL Rookie of the Month, Steer also tops the team with 42 walks, adding nine steals.

Matt McLain

McLain took over shortstop duties for the Reds on May 15 after being recalled from the minors. Cincinnati is 31-18 in the 49 games he has started.

The 2021 first-rounder got off to a flying start but has since cooled. Still, McLain is hitting .301 and .879 OPS, as he has seven homers and 29 RBI. He also has been spectacular defensively, with one error and a .994 field percentage.

Elly De La Cruz

De La Cruz has been phenomenal in his 30 appearances. The 21-year-old infielder is hitting .325 with a .887 OPS. He has four home runs, 14 runs driven in, and 16 stolen bases.

De La Cruz stole three bases on July 3 versus Milwaukee. While that may have been noteworthy if he swiped three bases for a game, the youngster did it in one at-bat (seventh). He also stole all the bases in sequence, starting with second, third, and then home.

Andrew Abbott

Abbott has taken over the role of staff ace since making his MLB debut in early June. The 24-year-old lefty has pitched exceptionally well in five of his seven starts. His latest start against Milwaukee on July 7 is his worst to date, permitting six runs on nine hits, including two dingers. Abbott has allowed six home runs, all occurring in three contests.

Abbott is a power and fly ball pitcher. He is 4-1 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.032 WHIP. Abbott has limited opponents to a .192 batting average, recording 48 strikeouts and 14 walks over 41.2 innings.

Brandon Williamson

Williamson has been shaky at best, but the Reds are 7-3 in games he has started. The 25-year-old lefty has gotten out of the sixth just once, while he has gotten past the third twice. Control has been his biggest issue; he has given up eight homers and 19 walks.

Williamson is 1-2 with a 5.21 ERA and 1.350 WHIP. He has a .246 BAA and registered 7.3 strikeouts compared to 3.7 walks per nine innings.

Reds Schedule After All-Break

Cincinnati have a friendly schedule right after the all-star break with a 10-game homestand. Cincinnati begin the stretch with three crucial contests against Milwaukee. They then host San Francisco for four and Arizona for three.

Cincinnati follow the homestand with 10 straight road games. The Reds go to Milwaukee and then face the Los Angeles Dodgers. They close the road trips against the Chicago Cubs.

Cincinnati is 2-5 against Milwaukee this season. While Cincy hasn't faced the Giants or D-backs, they are 4-1 vs. the Cubs and 2-1 vs. the Dodgers.