The Cincinnati Reds farm system is absolutely loaded from top to bottom. No matter which outlet you prefer, the organization has multiple Top 100 prospects along with a plethora of former top picks who the club hopes can become big-time contributors in the future.
The Daytona Tortugas, the Reds Low-A affiliate, may have some of the best talent in the organization. Sal Stewart and Cam Collier, both rated among the Top 10 in the Reds system according to MLB Pipeline, reside in Daytona.
Both Collier and Stewart are still teenagers, and dealing with some growing pains. Fellow prospect Leonardo Balcazar, has not had the same difficulties adjusting to life as a professional.
Reds prospects: Leonardo Balcazar tearing it up at Low-A Daytona Tortugas
Leonardo Balcazar is probably a name that many Cincinnati Reds fans are unfamiliar with, and for good reason. The 18-year-old infield prospect was just inked to a deal during the 2020-2021 international signing period.
Balcazar is best known for his athleticism and his glove, as he features above-average speed and defensively abilities. On the scouting scale (20-80), his bat leaves a bit to be desired. That was until this season.
Last season, Balcazar was with the Reds Rookie-Ball affiliate, and posted a slash line of .322/.411/.476. He added 12 extra base hits in his 143 at-bats. This kind of production can be a fluke at the Rookie Level, so Balcazar had a lot riding on his early-season performance at Low-A Daytona.
Since joining the Daytona Tortugas this season, Leonardo Balcazar has continued his offensive tear. Balcazar currently has hit better than almost anybody would expect (.324/.427/.471), leaving him with very comparable numbers to his season last year.
His .427 on-base percentage leads all qualified hitters on the Tortugas roster. Balcazar is a unique and versatile prospect and at just 18 years old, his ceiling is impossible to understand at this point. But, you can no longer say that you don't know who Leonado Balcazar is, can you?