Cincinnati Reds: Possible trade packages for Francisco Lindor

1. Four prospects that could bring Lindor to Cincinnati

After shipping Trevor Bauer to the Cincinnati Reds last season and sending Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers this winter, it appears as though the Cleveland Indians are entering a rebuilding phase. Fans in Cincinnati know all too well what that feels like, but the fans in Northeast Ohio are likely to receive little sympathy from Reds Country.

If the Indians are going into a full-on rebuild, they’re going to want as much as they can get in return for Lindor’s services. While last offseason saw Cincinnati’s farm system eroded with the trades of Shed Long, Jeter Downs, and Josiah Gray, there are still some talented players prospects in the Reds system.

Jonathan India, ranked No. 3 in the Reds system and No. 93 overall by MLB Pipeline, is blocked at the big league level by Eugenio Suárez. We saw Cincinnati, just last season, resort to moving Nick Senzel (historically a third baseman) to the outfield. India was an advanced hitter when he was drafted in 2018 and will likely be ready for The Show in 2021.

Add in two top pitching prospects in Tony Santillan and last year’s No. 7 overall pick Nick Lodolo, and the Reds may be able to close the deal. Lodolo, at just 21-years old, is expected to rocket through the minor league system and could be part of a major league rotation in 2021. Santillan is likely to get his shot at the Triple-A level this coming season after some struggles in 2019.

A deal like this would severely cripple the Reds farm system, but that’s a small price to pay if lands Cincinnati the best shortstop in the game today. An outfielder like Andy Suglio or Stuart Fairchild may be necessary to seal the deal, but neither look to be part of the Reds long-term plans moving forward.