Reds: 5 prospects who could open 2022 in the starting rotation

3. Tony Santillan, Reds right-handed pitcher

Tony Santillan has been among the Cincinnati Reds’ top pitching for several years now. Santillan showed his mettle in 2018 with Double-A Pensacola, but regressed in 2019 when he made the leap to Triple-A Louisville.

However, this season, Santillan has looked very good in his stint with the Louisville Bats. The right-hander is 1-1 this season with a 1.86 ERA, 10.87 K/9, and 29.5% strikeout-rate. Some more consistent performances may seen Santillan gain a call-up to the big leagues this season.

Santillan has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and a plus slider. An impressive frame (6-foot-3, 240-pounds) leads some scouts to believe Tony Santillan will end up in the bullpen, but the Reds front office appears bullish on their desire to insert the Texas native into the starting rotation.

Santillan is not considered a frontline starter, but the power-pitcher could be a middle-of-the-rotation starter if he’s able to develop his changeup. The hope is that the right-hander continues to pitch well in the minors this season and handles the rigors of Triple-A competition before finding his way up to the big leagues.

Cincinnati added Santillan to the team’s 40-man roster this past winter, so there’s obviously a desire to keep him in the organization. After several years of impressive work in the minors, this becomes a make or break year for the 24-year-old. So far, he’s making the most of his chances and looks like a solid choice to join the rotation sooner rather than later.