Reds prospect Allan Cerda will face pressure-packed 2023 season

The Cincinnati Reds will soon be adding several prospects to the 40-man roster. Fans should expect to see Elly De La Cruz, Brandon Williamson, and others added over the coming days.

Last year at this time, Cincinnati added five players to the 40-man roster. Among them were starting pitchers Hunter Greene and James Marinan along with relievers Alexis Diaz and Daniel Duarte.

Greene, Diaz, and Duarte all made the cut and were on the Reds 2022 Opening day roster. Marinan was designated for assignment in June. But there was one more prospect added last fall and he's yet to make his major league debut. That player's name is Allan Cerda.

Reds OF prospect Allan Cerda will face a pressure-packed 2023 season.

Having been sent to the minors to begin the 2022 season, the Cincinnati Reds effectively used one of Allan Cerda's three minor league options. A minor league option allows a team to keep a player within the organization without exposing said player to outright waivers.

Per MLB.com, once an optioned player has spent at least 20 days in the minors in a given season, he loses one of his options. This will put a great deal of pressure on both the Reds and Cerda to get the outfielder up to the major leagues at some point this season, as it would be a shame for Cerda to occupy a 40-man roster spot for two seasons and never even sniff the big leagues.

That said, there's no need to rush the 22-year-old to The Show if he's not ready. While Cerda has huge power, as evidenced by his .444 slugging percentage and 24 home runs in the minor leagues last season, there's obvious concern attached as well due to his 33.3% strikeout-rate. But Cerda makes up for his large number of swings and misses with a 16.6% walk-rate.

One can assume that the Cincinnati Reds will give Allan Cerda a long look during spring training this next season. While it's most likely that Cerda will begin the 2023 season at Triple-A Louisville, the Reds lack of outfield depth may see the slugger sneak onto the Opening Day roster.

Regardless of where Cerda begins his journey next season, his 2023 campaign represents a key stage in his development. The Reds are hopeful that Cerda makes enough strides to warrant consideration for a spot on the major league roster at some point next season.