Reds prospect shows power and patience in Dominican Summer League

The Cincinnati Reds were lauded for their ability to land some impact players in last week's MLB Draft. Pitchers Rhett Lowder, Ty Floyd, and Cole Schoenwetter along with shortstop Sammy Stafura bring plenty to promise to an already-loaded Reds farm system.

While the draft is one way to bolster the pipeline adding, the Reds have begun to find success with international talent recently. Players like Jose Barrero, Vladimir Gutierrez, and Elly De La Cruz were all signed as international free agents.

The Reds inked 17-year-old Alfredo Duno to a contract this past year during the international signing period. The teenager is currently tearing apart the Dominican Summer League and could be one of the next big stars to make his mark as he climbs the minor league ladder.

Reds prospect Alfredo Duno shows power and patience in the Dominican Summer League.

Alfredo Duno, who signed with the Cincinnati Reds last January, has hit the ground running since making his debut in the Dominican Summer League. In 19 games, Duno has compiled a gaudy slash line of .409/.522/.690 with 10 extra-base hits, including five home runs.

MLB Pipeline ranks Duno just outside the organization's Top 20 prospects. Of course, with the addition of recently drafted prospects like Rhett Lowder and Sammy Stafura and the impending graduation of Andrew Abbott, that ranking may change in the coming weeks.

Duno was seen as a more of a defense-first catcher with a plus-arm and above-average work behind the plate, but his power has been on full display so far this season. However, one tool that isn't very measurable has shined through since Duno began playing in the DOSL.

According to FanGraphs, Duno has struck out 15 times this season. But the 17-year-old has also drawn 15 walks. A 16.7-percent strikeout-rate is very good, but that 16.7-percent walk-rate is quite impressive.

More often than not, young baseball prospects struggle to adjust to professional pitching, and are subject to swinging wildly at pitches way outside the strike zone. So far, that has not been the case for Alfredo Duno.

Duno has yet to spend time behind the dish, seeing all of his starts at DH. But if his bat can match the talent he has as a receiver, Duno could be a fast-riser in the Cincinnati Reds farm system.