Cincinnati Reds: Should Jesse Winker be sent back to Louisville?

The Cincinnati Reds are in a teardown

The Cincinnati Reds are in rebuilding mode. They have constantly been playing younger guys over veterans in order to scope out pieces for the future. Also, the Reds have traded off fan favorites in order to inject youth in the organization. The club has dealt players such as Aroldis Chapman, Todd Frazier, and Jay Bruce.

In return, this franchise has juiced up their farm system in the process. After the Amateur Draft, Cincy ranks eighth in the league. They have come along way in securing their success in the future. The front office has picked a clear direction in their path backed to relevancy. There has been plenty of rough patches, and will only get worse before getting better.

At the moment, the Reds are showcasing one of their prized prospects in Jesse Winker. How has he been doing? Should he be sent back to Triple-A? Let’s find out.

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The Cincinnati Reds’ top outfield prospect

Jesse Winker is the number five prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Furthermore, he has built that top prospect pedigree because of his hitting tool. Also, he has excelled before his Major league promotion. This season at Louisville, he batted .314 with two home runs and 41 RBIs. In 347 plate appearances, he accumulated a 127 wRC+. In addition, this means that he was above average offensive value.

The outfielder is able to utilize all fields and hit for power. A twenty home run season is not out of reach for him in the future. His quick hands allow him to get on the ball faster and put the ball in play. Also, the left handed hitter is patient at the plate. His BABIP is at .327 this season in the MLB. Winker has shown he can make contact consistently, but he has encountered some bad luck.

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This season in Cincinnati, he has slashed .286/.390/.457 in 82 at bats. He has been productive at the plate with some power, with 3 home runs. Also, his speed on the base paths are non-existent so stolen bags aren’t probable. His arm is what an average left fielder has but could cut down a runner occasionally.

The Verdict

In my opinion, Jesse Winker should stay up with the big club. He has been hitting for average and not throwing at bats away. The power will come in time, as he hasn’t even been at the dish more than 100 times in the MLB. Winker will benefit from having Joey Votto as a model at the plate.

Over time, he will be able to cement himself as a qualified hitter. The outfielder has done nothing short of handling a transition to the big leagues somewhat seamlessly. Being able to hit in the Great American Ballpark will only help him on his journey.

Next: Will Devin Mesoraco ever by OK?