Reds hope their latest international signing can follow Alfredo Duno’s path

The Cincinnati Reds have something percolating. It's been a slow build, but it looks like the franchise is turning into a force in Latin America. Over the last several years, the franchise has unearthed diamonds in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, and with the international free-agent signing period upon us, they just added another. The Reds signed another tantalizing teenage talent in Dominican outfielder Angel Nunez Jr. to a $3 million deal.

For a team with limited resources, finding success here really matters. For the Reds, that started with discovering Elly De La Cruz back in 2018. The 24-year-old is inches from superstardom now, but he was an afterthought in 2018 when the club secured him for a paltry $65,000 bonus. Back then, the club was shut out on the top names coming up and had to rely on savvy scouting to find their gems.

Now, though, the tables have begun to turn. Not only is Cincinnati still scouting well in Latin America, but the youngsters looking to make their big league dreams a reality are beginning to take the club seriously.

The best example of that is blue-chip prospect Alfredo Duno, who signed with the Reds for a then-team-record $3.1 million. Finally healthy, Duno exploded at Single-A Daytona, slashing .287/.430/.518 with 18 homers, all while walking more than he struck out. He'd go on to put on a show in the Arizona Fall League playoffs as well, standing out as a 19-year-old taking on much older competition. Duno's bat was never much of a question, but he's also starting to show signs that he can stick behind the plate.

Alfredo Duno's emergence in the spotlight makes new international free-agent signing Angel Nunez Jr. a Reds' prospect to watch

Nunez Jr. is yet another high profile international signing to add to Cincinnati's prospect constellation. That handsome $3 million signing bonus is a result of him being one of the very top players in this class, coming in at No. 6 on MLB Pipeline's big board.

The reasoning for that his clear. Nunez Jr. has elite tools, including blazing speed, bat-to-ball skills, and enough power to launch mistakes out of the park despite his slight 5-foot-10, 155-pound frame. During the 2024 U15 World Cup, he displayed an aggressive yet disciplined approach, posting six walks to three strikeouts, which mimics what we've seen from Duno.

The highly-touted youngster doesn't turn 17 until April 7, making his skillset even more impressive. Once action gets underway in the Dominican Summer League, he'll be a player to watch, but more importantly, he represents the Reds truly arriving at the intersection of solid scouting and a sterling reputation in Latin America. That should only help the talent pipeline grow in the years to come.