Reds: 3 under-the-radar prospects who’ll make their debut in 2022

3. Eddy Demurias, Reds pitching prospect

Another player who’ll join the Arizona Fall League later this month, Eddy Demurias saw action at three different levels this season. Beginning the 2021 season at High-A Dayton, the right-hander was quickly elevated to Double-A Chattanooga. Demurias closed his 2021 campaign at Triple-A Louisville, making two appearances out of the Bats’ bullpen.

Demurias was highly recruited coming out of high school and decided to attend the University of South Carolina. Demurias was a 27th-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 2018. Demurias has a very live arm, consistently able to hit the upper-90s on the radar gun.

Demurias is a reliever, not a starter. That should be music the ears’ of Reds Country, as typically we see failed starters (Michael Lorenzen, Amir Garrett, and Tejay Antone) become key contributors out of the Cincinnati bullpen.

One look at Demurias’ stats and you’ll see why I’m so high on him. In six games at Advanced-A Dayton, Demurias didn’t allow a single run to cross the plate. After striking out 10 batters in nine innings for the Dragons, Demurias was bumped up to Double-A Chattanooga.

With the Lookouts, Eddy Demurias posted a 2.43 ERA and struck out 42 batters over 40.2 innings of work. That 24.7% strikeout-rate looked pretty good, but Demurias has to learn how to keep the base paths clear. His 12.4% walk-rate will need to come down before the Reds view him as a solid relief option.