Votto likens Reds rookie De La Cruz to Mickey Mantle

Cincinnati Reds rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz has taken baseball by storm, and teammate Joey Votto has been blown away by what he's seen so far.

De La Cruz hit for the cycle in his 15th career game Friday night as the Reds earned their 12th consecutive victory in a wild affair against the Atlanta Braves.

Votto believes De La Cruz's unique skill set is almost unprecedented and reminds him of one of the game's greatest-ever players, New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle.

"Has there been a better switch-hitting, speed, power guy? The only comp I can think of is Mickey Mantle - a young Mickey Mantle," Votto said, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "That's unfair to put on Elly, (comparing him to) maybe one of the greatest players of all time. Elly has got plenty of time to entertain the fans."

Votto also played a huge role in Friday's victory, blasting a pair of home runs, including a go-ahead three-run shot in the fifth inning.

The 39-year-old is savoring every moment of the Reds' hot streak.

"This is a really great experience for me," Votto said. "I don’t like getting ahead of ourselves because it's June. This has been fun so far. I think we've got really good potential. I think the average Reds fan at home has a team that they, their grandparents, (and) kids can have a great time watching. Because it's a fun brand of baseball."

The Reds will look to push their streak to 13 games when they resume their series with the Braves on Saturday afternoon at Great American Ballpark.