Cincinnati Reds Top Prospect Report – Taylor Trammell

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

While the Cincinnati Reds have struggled to a 41-57 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 take a look at how one of the Reds’ top 30 prospects (per MLB Pipeline at the start of the season) performed  in the first half as we head into the second half.

Taylor Trammell (OF)

2017 Stats (Single-A):

Dayton: .287/.361/.457, 19 2B, 8 HR, 55 RBI, 44 BB, 95 K, 28 SB

Trammell was taken by the Reds in the competitive balance portion of the 2016 draft.  That is the draft that the Reds took Nick Senzel in, but Trammell may eventually be the better player.  Trammell was a two-sport star in high school, but he has acclimated well to professional baseball.

Last year, in rookie ball Trammell batted .303 with a .374 OBP.  He had 24 steals in just 61 games.  He looked like a sure fire MLB lead-off hitter.

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Defensively, Trammell seems to have settled into left field.  He has played some center. But despite his speed, he still appears a left fielder at heart.

If Taylor Trammell continues to develop as a left fielder, the Cincinnati Reds may end up with too many.

More from Reds Prospects

• Reds: Underdog hurler James Marinan flashing brilliance at High-A Dayton
• Reds: Joe Boyle has an absurd strikeout-rate after punching out 10 batters
• Reds prospect: Rece Hinds finding his power after prolonged stint on IL
• Reds prospects: Bryce Bonnin excelling at every minor league level
• 3 Reds prospects who should not be added when rosters expand

Usually, too much of anything isn’t a problem.  The Reds, though, are close to having a situation.  With a former All-Star in left and their top outfield prospect playing left field in Triple-A, it may be too much, especially with Phil Ervin in the mix too.

Trammell will either have to prove himself the best by a margin or become a center fielder.  Either one could work fine.  Trammell is a five tool player with plus speed.

Trammell is a lefty hitting, OBP machine that can steal bases.  He is in his second season with a high batting average and corresponding matching high OBP.

He even has seen his home run rate go up in year two.

Trammell also looks at a ton of pitches.  He walks and strikes out a lot.  If he can reduce his strikeout rate, while helping his walk rate maintain, he could turn into a great MLB lead-off hitter.

Next: Who's headed out the door?

In 92 games he has 103 hits.  He also has scored 59 runs.  Those are more middle of the order numbers, but definitely dominating numbers for a player who is just a year out of high school.  The next step will be playing in Daytona Beach for the Tortugas.