Cincinnati Reds: Top 10 prospect could be headed to the big leagues soon

Jose Siri, the No. 9 ranked prospect in the Cincinnati Reds farm system, is on his way to Triple-A. It won’t be long before he makes his MLB debut.

While a big league call-up is not imminent, Jose Siri‘s promotion to Triple-A Louisville is a step in the right the direction for the 23-year-old outfielder. While a snap shot of the Cincinnati Reds‘ roster would suggest that another outfielder is a luxury the team doesn’t need, Siri’s tools fit today’s game very well.

Jose Siri is ranked No. 9 in the Reds’ farm system by MLB Pipeline. Siri has ridiculous speed, a plus-arm, and underdeveloped, raw power. Siri’s hit tool is still a work-in-progress, but so far this season, he’s produced a solid slash line (.270/.323/.370) at Double-A Chattanooga.

The Reds minor league system is littered with talented outfield prospects. Obviously fans have heard of Taylor Trammell. The Reds’ No. 1 prospect, Trammell is likely to make his MLB debut sometime next season. Mike Siani, Stuart Fairchild, TJ Friedl, and Michael Beltre are all among the Top 20 prospects in the Reds farm system.

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However, no one in the Reds’ system possess the arm talent and defensive prowess of Siri. It’s what sets him apart from the other minor league outfielders, and what could propel him to majors quicker than any of them.

While fans may or may not remember fondly the combination of poor hitting, yet unbelievable defense of Billy Hamilton, there’s no denying that the type of player that Hamilton was for the Reds can make a difference at the major league level. Hopefully Siri can continue to improve his hitting and become a solid, yet unspectacular bat in the Reds’ lineup.

Where Siri and Hamilton differ is the potential power. Jose Siri has above-average power in that bat and hit 12 homers in 283 plate appearances for Double-A Pensacola last season. He had 24 the year before in Class-A Dayton and has 4 already this season with the Chattanooga Lookouts. Louisville Slugger Field is not very hitter-friendly, so we’ll see how his numbers translate.

Siri is already on the 40-man roster and could receive a call-up this September. A lot can happen over the next few months, and as the post-trade deadline roster takes shape, it could dictate when we see Jose Siri make his major league debut.

The Cincinnati Reds have a plethora of young talented outfielders already in the majors. Jesse Winker, Phillip Ervin, Josh VanMeter, and Nick Senzel have all seen time in the Reds’ outfield this season. Derek Dietrich, who still has one year of team control remaining, can play the corner outfield spots. Then there’s Yasiel Puig, who may or may not be part of the Reds future.

Siri is best suited for center field, though his strong arm could find a home in right field as well. With Scooter Gennett‘s future in doubt, it’s quite conceivable to see Senzel play second base next season and Siri could quickly find himself at home as the Reds’ starting center fielder to begin the 2020 season.

There’s a lot of “ifs” for that to come true, but it’s quite plausible. Regardless, look for Siri in a Louisville Bats uniform for the remainder of the minor league season. Hopefully his offensive game continues to improve and it can rival that of his defensive skillset. The Cincinnati Reds’ farm system is in good shape.