Cincinnati Reds Top Prospect Report – Alfredo Rodriguez

How are the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospects doing during the 2017 season?

While the Cincinnati Reds have stayed competitive with a 22-24 record, there is plenty of reason for hope in the future. The team is loaded with talented prospects across all of their minor-league teams, and many of those players started off with promising starts in their careers.

Let’s begin to take a look at how the Reds’ top 10 prospects (per MLB Pipeline at the start of the season) are performing as we head into the summer. This is a special look at those prospects that were on the top ten list to start the season.

Alfredo Rodriguez (SS)

2017 Stats (Advanced-A):
Daytona Beach: .271/.321/.303, 6 2B, 0 HR, 14 RBI, 12 BB, 30 K, 7 SB

Alfredo Rodriguez has moved up from the Dominican League last year to Advanced-A, but he still has the same issue.  He is not hitting.  Yes, he has a decent average and a respectable OBP, but his slugging is dangerously weak.

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Rarely do you see a slugging percentage below an OBP.  Yes, it means that Rodriguez is taking walks when given, but it also means that he is hitting no extra base hits.  He has yet to hit a home run in any capacity as a prospect for the Cincinnati Reds.

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Alfredo Rodriguez is ready to play shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, but not bat at the MLB level.

Rodriguez is a plus-plus defender.  He has plus range and a plus arm.  He may not be quite as fast as Billy Hamilton, but his quickness is comparable.

Rodriguez signed on July 4, 2016.  He signed as a former Gold Glove winner in Cuba with a reputation as an elite base stealer.  He has continued to show off his defensive skills while his offensive skills have yet to be proven.

The Reds gave Rodriguez a $7-million signing bonus.  That is more than Zack Cozart, Eugenio Suarez, and Jose Peraza will make TOGETHER this year.  That’s right, his signing bonus was more than the cost of the Reds’ infielders not named Joey Votto.

The hope is that Rodriguez can find power.  He could hit with doubles power or home run power.  Right now his doubles rate isn’t awful, but unless he can hit .300 it will be an issue.

Next: Joey Votto is Cincinnati's Dark Knight

Rodriguez is only 22 years old, so there is plenty of time for development. He won’t contribute anything to the big league club until 2019.  By that time the Reds may be ready to compete for the playoffs annually.