A home run ball that might have been worth a considerable sum of money was the subject of a wholesome moment by the end of the night.
Elly de La Cruz's first big league home run was a no-doubter. It flew 458 feet to the final rows of the outfield seats at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, nearly all the way out of the park. Off the bat at nearly 115 MPH, his first shot going yard was anything but cheap.
The ball itself could have been anything but cheap as well. Depending on De La Cruz's development, the ball could be valued at an ungodly number in a matter of years. And if his performance so far this year is any indication, including the fastest first-to-third run tracked this season, he will be a star. We have him ranked third in our latest prospect rankings.
So, the temptation for the fan to keep the ball had to be high.
Reds negotiate with fan who caught Elly De La Cruz's first home run ball
A fan who appeared to be at the game with a group of buddies caught the ball. Shortly after, a team employee came by to get his list of demands, er, wishes, in exchange for the ball.
Keep in mind, the ball could be worth a lot in the near future. This is high-stakes negotiation going on.
What did he get? A member of Reds Twitter who was in the outfield said he got a package of a signed baseball, bat and hat, but that's not the fun part. He also got to meet De La Cruz and take a photo with him. Not only that, but he got to bring his whole squad with him and get them signed baseballs as well.
That all came after a somewhat tense back-and-forth where the Reds made a, "disrespectful," offer.
In the end, though, this guy corrals a home run ball, gets it back to its rightful owner, and gets the homies a night of a lifetime. You've gotta love that.
