As the Cincinnati Reds navigate through another rebuilding season, a lot of attention will be paid to their farm system.
The Reds have a wave of prospects in the upper levels of the minor leagues. There are several prospects who are candidates to reach the majors in the second half of the season if they take a step forward in their development.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had our own players at the upper levels,” Reds farm director Shawn Pender said. “Those guys understand because they’ve been with us for three or four years, the expectations, how we play together, how we play hard, how we run the bases, those kinds of things.”
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Here’s a look at where the Reds’ top prospects, based on Baseball America’s rankings, are beginning the season:
Louisville Bats (AAA)
Position players: SS Elly De La Cruz (No. 1, IL), 1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand (No. 5, IL), SS/2B Matt McLain (No. 12) and CF Michael Siani (No. 19).
Pitchers: LHP Brandon Williamson (No. 10), RHP Levi Stoudt (No. 16), RHP Ricky Karcher (No. 23) and RHP Casey Legumina (No. 30).
De La Cruz (hamstring) and Encarnacion-Strand (back) started the season on the injured list. They’re expected to return this month, and they were both deemed ready for Triple-A after spending only two months each in Double-A. McLain will share time at shortstop once De La Cruz is healthy, but he’s looking to build off a strong spring training.
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Williamson and Stoudt competed for spots in the Reds’ starting rotation. If they show more consistency and remain healthy, they should make their major league debuts this year. Legumina was acquired from Minnesota in the Kyle Farmer trade and pitched well during spring training.
Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
Position player: 3B Noelvi Marte (No. 2).
Pitchers: RHP Connor Phillips (No. 9), LHP Andrew Abbott (No. 11) and RHP Joe Boyle (No. 21).
Marte, one of the headliners in the Luis Castillo trade with Seattle, moved from shortstop to third base last fall. He has good raw power and doesn’t strikeout a ton. He’s starting in Double-A in his age-21 season.
The Lookouts have a high-powered starting rotation. Phillips, the 6-foot-2 righthander, may have the best pure stuff among pitchers in the farm system and he struck out 150 batters in 109 2/3 innings last year. Abbott impressed during his time in big-league camp for the way he attacked hitters. Boyle is a tantalizing pitcher because he’s unhittable at times. He allowed only 46 hits in 100 innings last year, striking out 153 and walking 84.
Some of the unranked prospects at this level includes outfielders Allan Cerda, who was on the Reds’ 40-man roster last year, and Rece Hinds, a power bat who strikes out too often. Nick Quintana, acquired from Detroit in the Tucker Barnhart trade, is an excellent defensive infielder.
Dayton Dragons (A+)
Position players: SS Edwin Arroyo (No. 3) and CF Jay Allen (No. 15).
Pitcher: RHP Chase Petty (No. 6, IL).
Arroyo looks like a potential star and he’s regarded as the best defensive shortstop in the farm system. The 19-year-old switch hitter, acquired in the Castillo deal with Seattle, didn’t hit great after the trade, but he looked much more comfortable around his new teammates and coaches this spring.
Allen, the No. 30 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, has an infectious style of play with his speed and above-average defense. The 20-year-old is still improving as a hitter. Petty, a 6-foot-1 righthander, dominated Low-A as a 19-year-old and is expected to return from the IL at the end of April or early May. The Reds acquired Petty from Minnesota in the Sonny Gray trade.
One unranked prospect who stood out all spring was outfielder Austin Hendrick, the Reds’ first-round pick from the 2020 MLB Draft. He’s been plagued by strikeout issues during his first couple of minor league seasons, but he showed a better approach in minor league camp that allowed his power and elite bat speed to show up more often.
Daytona Tortugas (A)
Position players: 3B Cam Collier (No. 4), INF Sal Stewart (No. 8), 2B Carlos Jorge (No. 17), SS Victor Acosta (No. 18), SS Leo Balcazar (No. 20), OF Ariel Almonte (No. 22), C Logan Tanner (No. 24), CF Hector Rodriguez (No. 25), C Cade Hunter (No. 26)
Pitcher: RHP Lyon Richardson (No. 28)
The Reds saw their rookie-ball team advance to the playoffs last year and a lot of that group will move to Low-A to begin the 2023 season. Collier and Sal Stewart were the first two players the Reds took in the 2022 MLB Draft. Collier, an 18-year-old third baseman, dealt with an elbow injury during minor league camp, but he’s played against older competition for years.
Acosta is a switch-hitting shortstop who was acquired from San Diego in the Brandon Drury trade. Jorge may play some outfield, but he’s a 5-foot-9 hitter who carries a good amount of raw power and steals a lot of bases. The 6-foot-4 Almonte has a smooth swing and consistently makes loud contact.
Richardson was added to the 40-man roster in November despite missing the entire 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He will begin the season in his home state with more predictable weather as he builds up his innings, but he’s a candidate to soon move to Double-A. He has a four-pitch mix, reaches 100 mph, and carries long-term potential as a starter.
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