De La Cruz will start at shortstop and bat sixth in Thursday's season opener against the Nationals.
De La Cruz hit second often for the Reds this spring and manager David Bell had indicated that's where he was leaning toward putting the youngster. However, the skipper ultimately settled on Will Benson in the two hole and De La Cruz lower in the batting order. It's not great news for De La Cruz's immediate fantasy prospects, but he's certainly capable of hitting his way up higher in the lineup.