One of the Reds' best kept secrets is shining in the Arizona Complex League

The Arizona Complex League is typically a young prospect's introduction into professional baseball. Oftentimes, high school players who are taken in the draft or international signees get their feet wet in the ACL before moving on to Low-A.

Ricardo Cabrera, who signed with the Cincinnati Reds out of Venezuela in 2022, was viewed as a Top 5 international prospect according to MLB Pipeline at the time of his deal.

After making his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year, Cabrera is turning heads in the ACL with his stellar production at the plate.

Reds shortstop prospect Ricardo Cabrera is dominating rookie-ball in Arizona.

While most Reds fans now know the name Elly De La Cruz, few probably heard of him before his dominance in the minor leagues during the 2022 season.

De La Cruz, who was an international free agent signee himself back in 2018, flew up the prospect rankings after posting ridiculous numbers at A-Ball in 2021. Then, De La Cruz made quite the impression once again in 2022, showing off his electric power and speed combination.

Ricardo Cabrera is not nearly as tall, standing only 5-foot-11, and probably not as fast as De La Cruz, but the Reds shortstop prospect has the same type of raw talent and could develop into a five-tool player.

In 45 games in the Dominican Summer League last year, Cabrera hit .253/.363/.380 with a home run and 30 runs batted in. In 22 games in the Arizona Complex League, Cabrera is hitting .392/.520/.595 with a pair of round trippers, 11 stolen bases, and a wRC+ of 179 according to FanGraphs.

When Reds fans think of the top shortstop prospects in the farm system, names like Edwin Arroyo and Noelvi Marte come to mind. Even last year's trade deadline acquisition Victor Acosta gets some love from those who keep an eye on the Reds farm system.

But don't sleep on Ricardo Cabrera eventually surpassing all of those players. The Cincinnati Reds international scouting department has done a great job locating and acquiring talent of late, and Cabrera is no exception. He could be the organization's best kept secret.