Cincinnati Reds: How does Zack Cozart stack up with the shortstops in the rest of the system?

Right now, Cozart is the top of the Cincinnati Reds’ shortstop crop

The Cincinnati Reds player at the keystone has had a great year to say the least. He is slashing .318/.404/.564 currently through 250 plate appearances. The right handed hitter is having a career year at the plate. This is great for Cozart, as he is in a contract year. He has been a key contributor this season to push along the rebuild.  So much that he is under consideration for the All-Star team.

The shortstop has produced a 2.8 WAR through 57 games according to FanGraphs. Also the infielder has been above average defensively, due to his 6.7 Def metric. Moreover, Cozart has always been great defensively, but now his bat is picking it up. So far, Cincinnati has gotten good production out of the keystone. In contrast, the Reds will have an abundance of talent coming up through the farm.

Cincinnati Reds sign Cuban shortstop Jose Israel Garcia

In June, Cincinnati inked 19 year-old Cuban prospect Jose Garcia for $5 million dollars. The teenager played in Cuba’s 18U World Cup tournament. Reds director of international scouting Tony Arias spoke highly of him. According to MLB.com, Arias raved that Garcia ” is a super-athletic player who hits line drives using the whole field.” Although he played second base in the tournament, many people in the Reds organization think he can stick at shortstop. In addition, he could develop into ” Manny Machado with less power.”

On the defensive end, Garcia has an above average arm and range. In a 60 meter dash, he has a 6.4 and 6.5. His plus arm will give him the ability to make outstanding plays, which also comes with speed. The 19 year-old will amount to an everyday shortstop when it all comes together. Overall, ” scouts also see him as an athletic talent with line-drive, gap-to-gap power and the potential to hit home runs.”

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Cincinnati Reds grab another Cuban talent

Cincinnati went after defensive wizard Alfredo Rodriguez last January. He was signed for a hefty $7 million, which is plenty on the international market. He is a glove first player, as his bat is still developing. On his defense at the cornerstone, MLB.com says “his plus speed helps him have outstanding range, and he has a strong and accurate arm from anywhere on the field, leaving no doubt he will play the premium position for a long time to come.” Rodriguez is great at the keystone, but many are skeptical in his damage at the plate.

The shortstop has speed on the base paths, but he will need to reach first base first to execute as a baserunner. Baseball America says that if “Rodriguez gets to the major leagues, he will likely never hit higher than the bottom of the order, if his right handed bat improves to get him there.” At his floor, the Cuban prospect will at least be a defense first player off the bench.

Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds draft two-way phenom Hunter Greene

Meanwhile, the Reds just took a HS stud at the 2017 MLB Draft. Cincy was rumored to be on the fence between Hunter Greene and Brendan McKay. Although both are two-way studs, Cincinnati didn’t want to miss on a generational talent. In an unsurprising development, the Big Red Machine nabbed Greene with the #2 pick. He has yet to sign a contract, as he has a 4-year commitment to UCLA. But the Notre Dame HS product will more likely start his career in the Reds system then heading to college.

Greene easily has the highest potential out of all the Reds shortstop prospects. Partly because he is also a lockdown pitcher on the mound.

But also because his advanced baseball I.Q. asserts himself as one of the top prospects in the game. He is able to consistently create power and hard line drives to all fields. The Reds will have to decide whether to develop him on the mound or at the keystone. Wherever Greene plays, Cincinnati is hopeful that he will excel at his position.

Next: Looking at the draft after Hunter Greene

The Verdict

Overall, Zack Cozart is a solid example for Cincy’s shortstops of the future. He has been a great bridge player to his ultimate heir. Going forward, it will be intriguing to see which player supplants him in the long run.