2 unprotected Reds prospects who could be selected in the Rule 5 Draft and 1 who won't

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The Cincinnati Reds selected six prospects on Tuesday night to add to the team's 40-man roster. Elly De La Cruz, Noelvi Marte, Brandon Williamson, Levi Stoudt, Ricky Karcher, and Lyon Richardson are now ineligible for next month's Rule 5 Draft.

There really weren't any surprises among the six players selected, though Richardson has yet to pitch above A-Ball. Still, the right-hander has tremendous upside, and the Reds chose to protect the former second-round pick.

Still, there are a handful of players who were not added to Cincinnati's 40-man roster and thus will be subject to the Rule 5 Draft. Which two prospects could be selected in the Rule 5 Draft, and which prospect is likely to remain in the Cincinnati Reds organization?

Reds OF prospect TJ Hopkins could be selected in the Rule 5 Draft.

Given the lack of depth in the Cincinnati Reds outfield, it was mildly surprising to see TJ Hopkins' name left off the 40-man roster. A former ninth-round draft pick back 2019, Hopkins displayed huge power while playing in both Double-A and Triple-A.

Hopkins slashed .259/.333/.458 with 21 round trippers and 68 runs batted in to go along with a wRC+ of 107 in 126 games played last season. Hopkins would offer versatility, as the right-handed hitting slugger can play all three outfield positions.

However, the Cincinnati Reds really seemed impressed with the numbers that former second-round pick Stuart Fairchild put up in a small sample size during his time with the ball club over the second-half of last season.

There's a chance that TJ Hopkins coul survive and return to the Reds in 2023. If that happens, you can bet that the 25-year-old will receive an invite to big league camp next spring. But after the power displayed last season, there might be a team or two who'll take a flier on Hopkins during the Rule 5 Draft.

Reds RHP prospect Ryan Nutof could be selected in the Rule 5 Draft.

It was it a bit of a surprise to wake up and see that Ryan Nutof was not part of the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster. The right-hander pitched quite well in Double-A last season and made it all the way to Triple-A, appearing in four games for the Louisville Bats.

Nutof performed very well in 2022, striking out 67 batters over 59 innings across two levels of the minor leagues. Nutof owned a 25.4% strikeout-rate, but his 12.4% walk-rate might have given the Reds' brass cause to pause before elevating him to the 40-man roster.

Nutof represents the type of pitcher that many ball clubs might take interest in during next month's Rule 5 Draft. Nutof was drafted back in 2017, and after posting a 3.05 in 2022, there will be no shortage of contending teams that may look to add the University of Michigan alum to their stable.

If the Cincinnati Reds were entering a window of contention in 2023, perhaps it would have made more sense to hold on to Ryan Nutof instead of Lyon Richardson. But seeing as how Cincinnati is two-to-three years away from actually competing for the NL Central Division crown, the Reds made the right choice in not adding Nutof just yet.

There is still a chance that Nutof will not be selected in the Rule 5 Draft, in which case, expect the right-hander to receive an invitation to major league camp in Goodyear, Arizona next February.

Don't look for Reds C prospect Daniel Vellojin to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft.

With Tyler Stephenson as the lone catcher on the 40-man roster, was it risky for the Cincinnati Reds to leave one of the top catching prospects unprotected from the Rule 5 Draft? Fans will just have to wait and see.

Daniel Vellojin is one of the highest-rated catching prospects in the Cincinnati farm system. The 22-year-old playe across three different levels of the minor leauges last season, but after displaying huge power at High-A Dayton, the left-handed hitting backstop got bogged down at Double-A Chattanooga.

Of course, as fans know, catchers are more than just hitters. In fact, if you can find a backstop that put up a slash line of .240/.320/.375 while providing quality defense, you're probably doing okay. Vellojin is what you might consider a well-rounded prospect, but there's nothing about the young catcher that would catch the eye of most talent evaluators.

That's probably why the Cincinnati Reds chose not to add Daniel Vellojin to the 40-man roster. Cincinnati still needs to add another catcher or two the roster, but the team may look to do so via free agency.

Vellojin still needs more seasoning in the minors before making the leap the big leagues. Most other organizations will likely shy away from Vellojin during the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. Look for the catcher to remain with the Reds organization and be on his way to Goodyear next spring.

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