The first time Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez saw Elly De La Cruz was two years ago, when the Cincinnati Reds rookie was playing for Low-A Daytona and wasn’t even ranked among their top 30 prospects.

Rodriguez remembers De La Cruz going 4 for 5 with three triples, long before the 6-foot-5, 200-pound shortstop/third baseman became baseball’s top prospect and one of the most exciting players in the game.

“I used to hear about him, but he wasn’t a big prospect yet,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know why. You say, ‘Wow, that’s crazy!’ When I saw him, I was like, ‘Whoa. This guy has a lot of talent.’ He can run. He can throw. He can hit. He plays aggressive.”

The 21-year-old De La Cruz made a dramatic debut followed by a series of record-setting moments. He stole home. He became the youngest player in five decades to hit for the cycle. He set Statcast records for the hardest throw across the infield, at 97.9 mph, and to home plate (99.8). Through his first 29 games, De La Cruz slashed .323/.366/.533. He became the first player in MLB history to record 40 hits and 15 stolen bases in his first 30 games.

The Reds catapulted from third place to first in the NL Central, winning 14 of 16 games after his June 6 debut, including a 12-game winning streak. The Reds and De La Cruz have cooled off, but there is excitement surrounding Friday’s opener of their three-game visit to PNC Park, the first time the Pirates will see De La Cruz play in person.

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“I’ve never seen him play in my life — I’ve just seen the highlights — but he’s definitely got the skills and the talent,” said Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo, who is scheduled to start Friday against the Reds. “I definitely realize that he kills low pitches, especially breaking pitches that are low in the zone and fastballs down and in. He’s got that launch-angle swing. I know how to pitch against him, but I’ve still got to do my homework.”

De La Cruz is the most highly touted of the eight Reds rookies who were promoted to the majors this season, making an impact that prompted the Pirates to turn to their top prospects in mid-June. And it doesn’t hurt they have a De La Cruz clone in their clubhouse in 6-foot-7, 220-pound shortstop Oneil Cruz.

“It’s gonna pretty cool to play against him,” Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes said. “The success he’s had already coming into the league, he’s already like how Oneil is. He’s a unicorn out there. It’s gonna be a pretty fun series.”

The Cruz-De La Cruz comparisons are inevitable, given the similarities of their five-tool talents and how both are anomalies at their positions. Both are natives of the Dominican Republic, have long dreadlocks and have shattered Statcast records as rookies. There’s one major difference: Where Cruz bats left-handed, De La Cruz is a switch hitter.

“It’s kind of the same guy,” Rodriguez said. “They have the same tools. At some point, we will see those guys side by side and see who’s better.”

The side-by-sides, however, will have to wait. Cruz remains on the 60-day injured list while recovering from surgery on a fractured left ankle and isn’t expected to return until late September at the earliest. But De La Cruz is going through a stretch similar to what Cruz endured last summer, when baseball started to swing back.

Cruz hit five doubles, a triple, six home runs and had 21 RBIs through his first 30 games last season, then saw his batting average drop 37 points to .184 over the next 25 games while striking out 39 times in 96 plate appearances for a 40.6% strikeout rate.

Since moving into the leadoff spot July 7, De La Cruz is slashing .207/.281/.414 and has 39 strikeouts in 96 plate appearances. He has only one stolen base and has been caught stealing three times.

And Rodriguez plans to keep it that way.

“It’s a challenge. He’s one of the better rookies this year,” Rodriguez said. “It’ll be fun to be behind home plate and give him nothing. I don’t want him on the bases. I want a challenge, but I want the out.”

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The Reds have lost eight of their last nine games coming into the three-game series against the Pirates, their first visit since being swept in four games from April 20-23, but De La Cruz offers a gate attraction.

“He’s a special talent,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “They have a talented young group of players that they’ve brought to the big leagues. … I think guys like Cruzy and guys like De La Cruz are good for the game because they bring an excitement to the game.”

Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Kevin by email at kgorman@triblive.com or via Twitter .