Elly De La Cruz
In direct contrast to Henderson, Elly De La Cruz has a rare skillset with extreme highs and lows. He hits the ball with supreme authority, runs like he’s on fire, and makes highlight plays at shortstop on the regular. You wouldn’t have to squint too much to envision a few 40/40 or even 50/50 seasons in his future.
With that said, he also has holes in his game that will have to be addressed before teams consider him a sure thing. He strikes out at an alarming rate, makes frequent errors on routine plays, and the production he gets from his aggressive baserunning may wane quicker than other skills. He will also turn 28 during his free agency after the 2029 season, making him older than others on this list.
For Soto to grab his bag, he needed to develop an exemplary skill that teams just cannot get elsewhere. De La Cruz is a much different type of player, but if he continues smashing homers, swiping bases, and smoothing over the rough edges of his game, he could offer teams a truly unique package unavailable anywhere else.