Latest showing from Reds top prospects have fans salivating

Well, the bad news is that the Louisville Bats lost to the Iowa Cubs on Thursday afternoon by the score of 18-16. That resembles the final of football contest more so than it does a baseball game.

The good news, however, is that the three biggest prospects in the Cincinnati Reds farm system were a big reason why the Bats were able to score runs.

The trio of Elly De La Cruz, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Matt McLain all had huge days at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

Latest showing from Reds top prospects have fans salivating.

The power was on full display on Thursday afternoon. Between the aforementioned top Reds prospects, they managed to go 11-for-16 with three doubles, two triples, and two home runs.

Matt McLain went 2-for-4 with a double and two walks, Elly De La Cruz went 4-for-6 with a double, a triple, and three RBIs. Christian Encarnacion-Strand went 5-for-6 with a double, two home runs, and six RBIs.

The hype train is moving full-steam ahead and it's on a collision with Cincinnati, Ohio. Whether theese three prospects make it to the big leagues this season is still a msytery, but if McLain, De La Cruz, and Encarnacion-Strand continue to pummel the baseball like that, Reds GM Nick Krall isn't going to have much of a choice.

Now, it's just one game, and De La Cruz and Enacarnacion-Strand barely have a week's worth of games at Triple-A under their belts. But it's a great step in the right direction for what Reds fans hope is a solid core moving forward.

Of the trio, Matt McLain would seem to be the most major league-ready prospect. Both he and Christian Encarnacion-Strand are nott currently on the team's 40-man roster. But their time is coming.

Until the Cincinnati Reds roster allows for these prospects to receive regular playing time in the major leagues, it's in their best interest to remain on the farm. But performances like what we saw on Thursday afternoon continue to make the Reds fanbase salivate.