Cincinnati Reds: 3 mutually beneficial trade packages for Aristides Aquino

3. Reds trade Aristides Aquino to the Giants for a developing prospect.

If there’s one thing the Cincinnati Reds minor league system doesn’t have, it’s an up-and-coming first base prospect. Ever since Yonder Alonso was dealt to the San Diego Padres, the Reds have failed to develop a young first baseman. Perhaps Cincinnati and San Francisco could swing a deal that would alleviate that issue.

Garrett Frechette was taken in the fifth-round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Giants, and the 20-year-old is at least two, if not three years away from making his major league debut. That would fit in perfectly with the Reds timeframe, as six-time All-Star Joey Votto is under contract through the 2023 season.

According to FanGraphs, Frechette is the No. 38 ranked prospect in San Francisco’s farm system while MLB Pipeline has the left-handed hitting first baseman ranked No. 21. Both sources cite Frechette’s power as his best tool.

This deal would also reunite Aristides Aquino with the hitting coach who helped The Punisher break into the bigs. Donnie Ecker is the hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants and was the Cincinnati Reds assistant hitting coach in 2019.

If the front office feels it can sneak Aquino through waivers and send him to the Reds’ alternate site in Louisville, by all means they should do it. I just can’t see that happening and would rather see Cincinnati gain a prospect or two or perhaps a relief pitcher rather than lose The Punisher for nothing.