A snapshot of the Reds outfield prospects in the minor leagues

One of the Cincinnati Reds weakest positions in 2022 was the outfield. After trading away Jesse Winker and allowing Nick Castellanos to leave via free agency, what was once a strength for the Reds turned into a gigantic weakness.

Cincinnati trotted out Aristides Aquino, Nick Senzel, and Tommy Pham on Opening Day. Aquino struggled at the plate once again, Senzel ended the season on the IL once again, and Pham was dealt to the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline.

Jake Fraley, Stuart Fairchild, and TJ Friedl all showed some measure of promise in 2022, but all three have the look of rotational/ platoon outfielders. So how promising is the young crop of outfield prospects in the Cincinnati Reds farm system?

A snapshot of the Reds outfield prospects in the minor leagues.

Most of the Cincinnati Reds outfield depth is in the lower-levels of the minor leagues. Michael Siani made his major league debut at the end of the 2022 season and will be in the mix to be part of the 2023 Opening Day roster.

But outside of Siani, most of the top outfield prospects are probably at least a year away from making it to the big leagues. That said, TJ Hopkins, who could be added to the 40-man roster in the next few weeks, and could make his major league debut in 2023.

The trio of Austin Hendrick, Rece Hinds, and Allan Cerda are all likely to begin the 2023 season at Double-A Chattanooga, though Cerda might make his way to Triple-A with a productive showing in the Cactus League.

There's one major faux pas with all three of these outfield prospects; a high strikeout-rate. This next season, all three will need to focus on cutting down the swings and misses. That said, Hendrick showed a better approach toward the end of the season, Hinds is trying to hone his craft in the Arizona Fall League, and Cerda offset his high K-rate with a 16.3% walk-rate.

Justice Thompson and Jay Allen II are two exciting young outfield prospects who'll be fun to watch in 2023. Thompson has some of the most raw athleticism among any Reds prospects and Allen II has five-tool potential. One of these two could be the future up the middle in the Cincinnati outfield.

The Cincinnati Reds also have some talented, young international signees who'll be given a bigger role heading into next season. Keep you eye on Yerlin Confidan, who has perhaps the loudest pop in the farm system. Ariel Amonte is another young outfielder to watch. The left-handed swinging