Cincinnati Reds: Baseball America unveils rebuilding team’s top prospects

The Cincinnati Reds dismal season

The Cincinnati Reds did not have a great year. They lost 94 games again. Also, Joey Votto didn’t even get a Silver Slugger. What’s up with that? Furthermore, the pitching set them back. With the rotation being so young, there is much to improve on. Righthander Luis Castillo was a nice surprise in the Dan Straily trade.

The Reds have been quietly building up their farm system for the past couple years. They have made out well for most of their high picks. The club has also helped their rebuild by signing prospects out of the international market. Cincinnati is extracting talent from all angles, and their climb to a top farm system shows.

The offense was a nice surprise at the major league level, but the pitching negated most of the production at the plate. The majority of the starting staff is young so they will learn over time. So 2018 is another developmental year, barring a surprise run. Baseball America released the Reds’ top 10 prospects for 2018.

The Cincinnati Reds’ bright future

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The Reds have built up an impressive crop of young talent that will have fans clamoring for call ups. The team owes it to the fan base to provide a competitive on field product that is sustainable. In the near future that should become a reality.

The top Reds’ prospect was none other than slugging third baseman Nick Senzel. He hit .321 with 14 homers and 65 RBIs. The young infielder also has a steady eye at the plate, due to his 49 base on balls. Senzel has a level swing through the zone that initiates hard contact and his lower half adjusts his power with ease.

The #2 blue-chip prospect on the list is phenom two-way star Hunter Greene. He has already been blessed with the burden of the idea of becoming the Lebron in the MLB. The right-hander is a flamethrower with ace potential. He can also throw bullets from shortstop. Furthermore, the kid is also talented at the dish. Greene looks to be a once-in-a-generation type of talent that Cincinnati couldn’t pass up.

In his debut season, the righty shows signs of struggle, but also of his limitless potential.  This just goes to show the potential greatness in him.  He just needs to tap into that. The last out of the trio is outfielder Taylor Trammell. He has 5-tool potential in him at such a young age. The 20-year old batted .281 with 13 home runs and 77 RBIs.

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Baseball America’s take

The Reds have plenty of hitting prospects, and a hitter’s ballpark will benefit. Per Baseball America: “With a ballpark that helps everyone hit home runs, that trio could produce high averages and on-base percentages to go with solid power production. Overall the Reds system is deep in likely future big leaguers, though scouts see the majority of them as decent secondary pieces rather than future impact players.”

Cincinnati has several prospects that are on the cusp of the Major leagues. With that said, most of them will most likely become everyday guys rather than perennial All-Stars, but the future for this team has improved compared to previous ones.

Next: Why did the Cincinnati Reds really add Buddy Bell?

Here is the negative on the farm system, per Baseball America: “The Reds have spent significantly on catching prospects in recent years, but with 2015 first-round Tyler Stephenson struggling to stay healthy and 2016 second-rounder Chris Okey and defensive wizzes Stuart Turner and Joe Hudson not hitting, the Reds don’t have a logical replacement for Tucker Barnhart and Devin Mesoraco on the near-term horizon.”

Other than that, this system has quietly improved from what it once was, whether it be through the draft, trade market, or internationally.