Reds prospect Allan Cerda has turned the corner in August

Allan Cerda was crushing the opposition at High-A earlier this season. The Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect picked up where he left off in 2021, though his strikeout-rate did tick up a bit.

Last season at High-A, Cerda slashed .273/.356/.519 in 21 games for the Dayton Dragons and posted a wRC+ of 136 according to FanGraphs. In his 62 games at High-A Dayton this season, Cerda hit .219/.369/.419.

Cerda's 36.5% strikeout-rate was not great, but the 22-year-old was able to balance that out with a 16.5% walk-rate, 13 home runs, and a wRC+ of 138. Those numbers saw the Reds bump the outfielder up a level and he's been at Double-A Chattanooga since late-June.

Reds OF prospect Allan Cerda has turned things around in August.

In his first month versus Double-A pitching, Allan Cerda struggled mightily. One of the Cincinnati Reds top outfield prospects, Cerda hit just .146 through the month of July with 36 strikeouts in 25 games. That 34.0% strikeout-rate combined with his .274 on-base percentage was a bit concerning.

But since the calendar flipped to August, Cerda has been on a tear. While Cerda's strikeout-rate (32.1%) remains relatively high, he's carrying a 19.6% walk-rate and a slash line of .273/.429/.455 and a wRC+ of 142.

The Cincinnati Reds need a player like Allan Cerda to continue to make adjustments and develop. The organization is very thin in terms of outfielders with a carrying tool as loud as Cerda. Mike Siani, another one of Cincinnati's top outfield prospects, is a tremendous defender but lacks any real power.

Allan Cerda is a middle-of-the-order power bat that the Reds are counting on, perhaps as early as next season. He was added to the 40-man roster last season, so the clock is ticking. Look for Cerda o finish out the 2022 season at Double-A Chattanooga, and depending on how he finishes, the slugger could begin next season a Triple-A Louisville with an eye toward the big leagues next summer.