Cincinnati Reds: Prospects That Will Contribute In 2017

The Cincinnati Reds have built themselves a tremendous farm system loaded with talent. Who can the Reds depend on to help the club in 2017?

With all the talk of a rebuild, it’s important to take a deeper look into the Cincinnati Reds’ minor league teams and see what the future holds. Are the current prospects going to be a part of the rebuild? Or will new faces surface to take the Reds to the promised land?

There is a great chance that you will see a few new guys taking the field this season for the Reds. The majority of the players that will make their mark known are pitchers. It is not a secret that the Reds need depth in the bullpen. After a few free agent signings, Cincinnati has improved upon last years disappointment of a staff. Guys like Drew Storen, Louis Coleman and recently acquired veteran Scott Feldman will likely be the grey beards of the group.

Long Relievers

The area in which the Reds need depth, is currently in the long reliever role. At this point in the offseason, piecing together a late inning rotation is difficult. The Drew Storen signing all but sured up his value as the Closer. But who will the set-up man be?  My pick is for Michael Lorenzen or Raisel Iglesias to step into that role. The Reds have some evaluating to do in that position. Look for the set-up guy to be an experiment. Tony Cingrani was slated to close in 2017 before the Storen signing. With Storen now the Reds projected closer, Cingrani will be free to take on the long reliever role alongside possibly Blake Wood and Jumbo Diaz. Iglesias and Lorenzen will contribute to the multi-inning relief positions once the battle for the 8th inning is locked down.

Amir Garrett Deserves A Call

Depending on the health of the starting rotation, the Reds would be smart to utilize the pitching talent wherever they can. MLB Pipeline ranks Amir Garrett as the second best prospect in the Reds system. Garrett is an older minor league pitcher.  The 6’5”, 230 pound lefty is projected to be a starter in the show however, if the reds need an arm, they need to give Garrett the call.

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The knock on Garrett is his off-speed stuff. He hasn’t mastered a put out pitch. The bullpen is a great place to work on his slider.  A starting role isn’t out of the question either depending on the status of Homer Bailey and the recent departure of Dan Straily. The 24 year old has to be included somewhere on this staff. Robert Stephenson has already seen time at the major league level. Rookie Davis is also a name who could give the Reds some innings. You can expect to see young pitchers routinely in 2017.

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A Position Player To Keep an Eye On

A position player to be on the lookout for is Jesse Winker. The hype surrounding Winker has been substantial. Winker is 23 years old and ready for the show. With little outfield depth, Winker may look to make his debut sooner, rather than later for the Red Legs. Great American Ballpark is a hitter-friendly place to play. The lefty projects to be a threat at the plate. He also hits for a solid average. In Triple-A Louisville last season Winker hit .303 with an OBP flirting at .400. The Reds could use some consistent base hits from the outfield positions. In addition, although Jose Peraza is no longer just a prospect, he is still a young name to know. Fans should look for the utility player to make an impact everywhere on the field this season.

Next: Cincinnati Reds sign Scott Feldman

The Time is Now

If the Reds want to compete in the near future, it’s inevitable that the youth movement must take place. Rebuild or not, these prospects finally need to see the field. With little to no Major League experience, top prospects could essentially not be what the club had hoped for. Once these young talents make their debuts, then we will know the clock is ticking for many current Reds. Before all else, these names must prove themselves to be worthy of a long term investment before the coaching staff should bet all of their chips on them.