Cincinnati Reds: Aristides Aquino breaks through in a big way

Cincinnati Reds rookie Aristides Aquino recorded his first big league hit on Saturday night. Aquino also notched his first home run.

Look out folks, The Punisher is coming. Aristides Aquino, in his fourth career-game with the Cincinnati Reds, recorded his first-ever major league hit in the top of the second inning. Aquino smacked a line drive into center field for the first base knock of his big league career. After three straight starts, Aquino finally broke through. But, he wasn’t done.

The road to the major leagues has been a long one for Aristides Aquino. He was signed as an International free agent by the Reds back in January of 2011 when he was just 16-years old. He began his professional career later that year at the age of 17 in the Dominican Summer League.

Aquino worked his way up through the major leagues and looked like one of the most promising young players in the Reds farm system. In 2017, according to MLB Pipeline, Aquino was ranked as high as No. 6 in the Reds minor league system. Aquino was said to have some “loud tools across the board”.

Aquino was non-tendered this past winter, but the Reds were able to re-sign the right-handed slugger a few days later to a minor league deal. Whew, I bet they’re glad he didn’t get away. After mashing this past season for Triple-A Louisville, Aquino received a call-up to the big leagues on August 1st and was immediately inserted into the starting lineup.

After getting just one at-bat in 2018 before being optioned back to the minors, Aquino was able to get more than just a sip of coffee at the major league level this go-around. In fact, despite going 0-for-6 in his first two games this season, the Cincinnati Reds decided to give Aristides Aquino one more start on Saturday night against left-hander Dallas Keuchel.

The gamble paid off and Aquino’s line drive in the second was the only base hit the Reds would record through the first six innings. In fact, Aquino’s walk in the fifth inning represented just the second base runner the Reds had all evening to that point. Apparently Aquino was the only player on the squad able to figure out Keuchel.

He did that and more in the seventh inning. After Eugenio Suárez and José Iglesias reached base, Aquino came up with a big opportunity. The Punisher did what he’s done all season in the minors and absolutely crushed a ball to left field. Keuchel’s first pitch was a changeup that Aquino deposited into the bleachers and with one swing, the right-handed slugger tied the game.

While the Cincinnati Reds would eventually fall the Atlanta Braves 5-4 in extra innings, Aquino showed Reds Country why the front office and coaching staff have such high hopes for this young man. With right-hander Julio Tehran on the mound today for the Braves, I’m going to guess that Aquino gets a day off. However, don’t expect The Punisher to be sent back to the minors anytime soon.