Late-scratch could signal another Reds prospect on his way to Cincinnati

It's been brewing for some time now, but the moment that many Reds fans have been waiting for could be coming very soon. Christian Encarnacion-Strand was scratched from Sunday's lineup at Triple-A Louisville.

There's been no official word just yet, but after seeing how well the former Minnesota Twins farmhand has performed this season, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in a Cincinnati Reds uniform on Monday night.

The Reds have already called up top prospects like Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, and Andrew Abbott. Encarnacion-Strand is the only one left on the Louisville Bats roster.

Late-scratch could signal another Reds prospect on his way to Cincinnati.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand was slated to bat third and play first base on Sunday night for the Louisville Bats. Instead, the slugger could be on his way to the Queen City. Encarnacion-Strand is hitting .331/.405/.637 in 67 games at Triple-A this season. The 23-year-old has 21 doubles and 20 homne runs.

Now, it should be understood that this is purely speculation. No one from the Cincinnati Reds nor the Louisville Bats, and not even Encarnacion-Strand himself has announced that he's heading to The Show. There's a chance that his absence is precautionary and he could be nuring a minor injury.

There's also a scenario in which Encarnacion-Strand could be headlining a major trade that could bring a big name back to Cincinnati in return. However, with so much hype surrounding Encarnacion-Strand, that seems highly unlikely.

If Christian Encarnacion-Strand is indeed on his way to the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse, it's not a moment too soon. The Reds have been reeling of late and after being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers have fallen out of first-place in the NL Central.

Cincinnati's bats have produced just four runs in the past three games, and with the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks up next, adding Encarnacion-Strand's bat would certainly be a boost for this struggling Reds offense.