This unheralded Reds pitching prospect continues to throw up zeros in Arizona Fall League

The Cincinnati Reds sent seven prospects to the Arizona Fall League this year. The AFL is a proving ground for young prospects looking to solidify their spot on a major league roster.

Cincinnati sent highly-regarded prospects like Noelvi Marte and Matt McLain to the AFL along with corner outfielder Rece Hinds and pitching prospect Christian Roa. All four are former top draft picks who hope to make an impact on the Reds in the coming years.

But few fans have probably heard of Sam Benschoter. The former Michigan State Spartan spent five seasons in Lansing and went undrafted in 2021. The right-hander agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Reds, and Benschoter may well be the best Reds prospect you haven't heard of.

Reds RHP prospect Sam Benschoter continues to throw up zeroes in AFL.

A fifth-year senior at Michigan State University, Sam Benschoter never heard his name called during the 2021 MLB Draft. With a career-ERA of 6.97 while playing for the Spartans, it's not overly surprising that Benschoter went undrafted.

However, the Cincinnati Reds saw something that they really liked in the right-hander. Perhaps it was the 79 punch outs in 69.2 innings of work during his final season in Lansing. Anyone who's watched the Reds lately knows that Cincinnati's front office and coaching staff loves a young pitcher that can fill up the strike zone.

Benschoter did just that in the minor leagues this past season. The 24-year-old struck out 118 batters in 78 innings across four different levels of competition in 2022. Benschoter played in the Arizona Complex League and then worked his way up Double-A Chattanooga by the end of the season.

In three appearances for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League, Sam Benschoter has struck out five batters through eight innings and walked just one while allowing just five hits. Not a single run has dented the plate while Benschoter has been on he bump.

Obviously it's too soon to anoint the right-hander as the next big arm in the Cincinnati Reds farm system, but fans saw Alexis Diaz turn a strikeout-heavy campaign in the minor leagues into a very successful rookie season in 2021. Don't sleep on Sam Benschoter as he ascends up through the Reds farm sys