Cincinnati Reds: Three 2019 draft picks top the minor league rankings

A recent update to the evaluation of the Cincinnati Reds top prospects places three draft picks among the top 10 of the team’s farm system.

The Cincinnati Reds made some solid selections in last month’s draft. Among them were Nick Lodolo, Rece Hinds, and Tyler Callihan. According to MLB Pipeline, all three players are now among the top 10 prospects in the Reds farm system and Lodolo is one of the top 100 in all of Major League Baseball.

Taylor Trammell is still the No. 1 prospect in the Reds system. The 21-year-old is struggling a bit at Double-A Chattanooga, as his .236 batting average would suggest. While several fans would love to see the Reds accelerate the process and get Trammell up to the big leagues quickly, it’s likely he’ll spend the entire season with the Lookouts.

Trammell is a 4-tool player, with the arm strength being the only thing he’s really lacking. The No. 30 overall prospect in all of Major League Baseball is likely to make his way to Triple-A next season and fans may see Trammell in a Reds uniform before the 2020 season ends.

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Hunter Greene checks in at No. 2 on the list. The former first-round pick has been sidelined with an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year. Hopefully Greene’s rehab goes well and he can find his way up to the big leagues sooner rather than later.

This last year’s first round pick, Nick Lodolo, cracks the list at No. 3. The lanky left-hander has already been promoted to Single-A Dayton and had a solid outing during his debut with the Dragons. Lodolo went three innings, struck out five, and didn’t walk a batter.

Jonathan India may be one of the more interesting top prospects to follow this offseason. Recently promoted to Double-A Chattanooga, the No. 95 overall prospect in baseball was rumored to be part of a potential trade this past offseason. The Reds were said to have been “quietly shopping” this past offseason.

With Eugenio Suárez firmly entrenched as the Reds starting third baseman, one wonders where India might fit in the coming years if he’s still part of the Cincinnati organization. Already 22-years old, India was an advanced hitter when the Reds drafted him out of Florida. India could easily be ready for a jump to the big leagues in 2021.

Rounding out the top 5 in the Reds minor league system is pitcher Tony Santillan. The big fella is believed to be a frontline starter and his fastball sits in the mid-90s. Santillan, a second round pick in 2015, hasn’t been promoted from Double-A yet after spending the entire season in Chattanooga.

The 22-year-old Texas native has struggled a bit during the last several weeks. Entering the month of June, Santillan had an ERA of 3.24. That number has ballooned to 4.81 over the last two months, but an impressive performance his last time out should be encouraging. Santillan went 5.2 innings, allowing just 1 run and striking out 8.

Two of the Cincinnati Reds 2019 draft picks, Tyler Callihan and Rece Hinds, fall just out of the top 5 and catching prospect Tyler Stephenson comes in at No. 8 according to MLB Pipeline. After being selected out of high school in 2015, Stephenson is slowly ascending through the minor league ranks and will likely find a home at Triple-A Louisville to begin the 2020 season.

Last year’s fourth round selection, Mike Siani, is one of my favorite prospects in the Reds farm system right now. The 20-year-old has big time power and has a cannon for an arm. This young man has all the making of the Reds center fielder of the future. Siani has been in Dayton the entire season, but will likely make his 2020 debut with the Advanced-A club in Daytona.

The final player in the top 10 of the Reds farm system, according to MLB Pipeline, is shortstop Jose Israel Garcia. A former player on the Cuban junior national team, Garcia has the arm to play shortstop, but could also man second base or even center field. Garcia needs to continue to develop at the plate, but his calling card will be his defense.

When looking at the top 10 in the farm system, the most interesting observation is that none of those players mentioned have played beyond the Double-A level. What does that mean? It’s unlikely that we’ll see any of these players make a leap to the majors anytime soon. But, look for several players to make their debut in 2021.