1 Reds prospect that will be a star, 1 that won't, and 1 that will just be serviceable

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If you've been a baseball fan long enough, you know that prospects are just that until they actually reach the major leagues. As good as these players may look in the minors, it's a whole new animal when they step onto the field in The Show.

If you've been a fan of the Cincinnati Reds long enough you've obviously seen the production fail to match the hype, This happened with Brandon Larson, and more recently with Robert Stephenson and Jose Barrero.

Of course, there are times when the scouts get it right. Jay Bruce is a prime example of that, as are Jonathan India and Tyler Stephenson.

Looking at the current crop of Reds prospects, there's a lot to like. But which current prospect has the makings of a star? Is there a future bust in the mix as well? How about just a serviceable major league player?

Reds prospect Sal Stewart will be a star in the major leagues

Quite frankly, there are any number of young prospects in the Cincinnati Reds farm system that you could point to and say, "That guy's going to be a star!" And hey, that's a good problem to have.

Edwin Arroyo, Connor Phillips, Cam Collier, and even Alfredo Duno all have the potential to be a star at the major league level. Side note: Since he debuted in 2023, Noelvi Marte was not included, though he's definitely in the conversation as well.

But there's something intriguing about Sal Stewart that makes him a sneaky prospect who could rise to stardom in the coming years. After spending just eight games at the Arizona Complex League in 2022, Stewart split time in Low-A and High-A this past season.

There's one huge stat that sticks out, and that was the 84 walks that Stewart was able to draw in 2023. In fact, he had more free passes than he did strikeouts. Stewart posted a 16-percent walk-rate and 14.9-percent strikeout according to FanGraphs.

Sal Stewart may be pigeon-holed positionally, and with Cam Collier likely to be step-by-step with him through the minors, the 19-year-old will probably see more time at first base than third. However, while Stewart may have below-average speed, he still swiped 15 bags last season.

Reds prospect Rece Hinds will not be a star in the major leagues

This is a prediction that will hopefully blow up in my face. But the fact of the matter is that Rece Hinds strikes out, and he strikes out a lot. Now, when he connects, the ball has a good chance to leave the stadium. Such is the life of a power-hitter.

Hinds made strides in 2023, and he needs to be credited for that. There was chance that Hinds would be left unprotected from this year's Rule 5 Draft. That ship has sailed, and the improvements that Hinds has made will see him join the Reds 40-man roster later next month.

But, the former second-round pick has a long way to go until he's ready for the big leagues. Reds fans saw Elly De La Cruz, who has a similar power-profile to Hinds, burst onto the scene in 2023. However, opposing pitchers quickly found the hole in De La Cruz's swing and exploited it.

The 23-year-old possesses ridiculous power. Hinds smashed 23 home runs and 98 RBI in 2023. But, that came with a 32.8-percent strikeout-rate in Double-A. Hinds will not be able to strikeout once every three at-bats and maintain a spot on a major league roster.

Rece Hinds has the tools to be a major league player, but if he doesn't fix the swings and misses, he'll never become a star. Another year of seasoning in the minors would do Hinds well, and with serviceable depth in the Reds outfield, there's no need to rush him to the majors.

Reds prospect Blake Dunn will be a serviceable major leaguer

Not every young prospect is destined to be a star, but being a serviceable major leaguer is not an insult. Several players have made a career out of being a serviceable major league player.

Former Cincinnati shortstop Kyle Farmer is a serviceable major league player. Current Reds catcher Luke Maile isn't a star, but he's a serviceable major leaguer that any number of general managers would love to have on their team.

Blake Dunn burst onto the scene this past season, and was arguably the best minor league performer in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Dunn hit .312/.425/.522 while splitting time between High-A Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga.

Dunn has plenty of power. The right-handed hitting outfield prospect smashed 23 homers and racked up 79 runs batted in while also stealing 54 bases in 2023. Did I mention that Dunn was taken in the 15th-round of the 2021 MLB Draft? These are numbers you'd expect from a first-rounder.

But there was a reason Blake Dunn didn't go in Round 1. While he had a very nice season in 2023 and will probably find his way to the big leagues next season, it's unfair to expect Dunn to be anything more than a serviceable major league ball player. Again, that's not an insult.

Look for the Cincinnati Reds to find a platoon role for Dunn by the middle of next season. Being a right-handed bat, Dunn could pair well with Jake Fraley or Will Benson as one of the team's corner outfielders.

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