Reds fans saw how quickly some of the organization's top prospects ascended to the big leagues in 2023. Don't worry, Reds Country, there's more on the way.
Players like Elly De La Cruz and Andrew Abbott improved their stock immeasurably in 2022, and both players had an instant impact upon their major league debut last season. The Cincinnati Reds saw a few of their top prospects follow suit in 2023.
These three Reds prospects greatly improved their stock last season. While not all of them will reach the bigs next season, if they are able to duplicate their 2023 success, a call-up in 2024 isn't out of the question.
1. Reds prospect Chase Petty improved his stock immeasurably in 2023
While Rhett Lowder and Connor Phillips may be more advanced than Chase Petty in terms of their development, no pitcher within the Cincinnati Reds organization has a higher ceiling that the former Minnesota Twins farmhand.
Petty's name has emerged in trade conversatios this offseason, but there's probably a good reason why those talks have fizzled out rather quickly. Petty had a tremendous season in 2023, and the Reds organization see the young hurler as one of their best young prospects heading into 2024.
Petty already had an above-average fastball/ slider combo heading into last season. But the right-hander is beginning to develop a changeup that could be the difference between Petty being a back-of-the-rotation pitcher or a frontline starter.
At just 20 years old, the sky is the limit for the former first-round pick. Chase Petty, who was on a pitch count this past season, posted 1.95 ERA in 16 trips to the mound while pitching at High-A Dayton. Petty got his feet wet at Double-A as well, throwing eight shutout innings for the Chattanooga Lookouts.