Reds prospect turning heads after new approach unlocks dominant outing

The Cincinnati Reds have had some elite pitching prospects (Hunter Greene, Chase Burns, and Nick Lodolo) come through the farm system over the past few years, and another young hurler is just beginning his journey through the minor leagues. Sheng-En Lin's most recent performance was nearly flawless and will have the Reds fanbase buzzing.

The Daytona Tortugas took the field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark over the weekend, and Lin tossed five no-hit innings against the Lakeland Tigers. The right-hander walked two and struck out five while throwing 71 pitches. The Tortugas went on to win by a final score of 14-0.

Diehard Reds fans have probably heard Lin's name before, but he's a relative unknown to most of the Cincinnati faithful. That's because he's spent most of the last three years in the Arizona Complex League as a two-way player.

Lin signed as international free agent out of Taiwan in 2023. Since coming stateside, he's played professional ball out in Arizona each summer, and until the end of last season, spent time on the pitcher's mound and in the batter's box. The decision was made, however, to transform Lin from a two-way player into a pitcher only, and it's hard to argue with the results.

Reds prospect Sheng-En Lin has ditched the two-way tag

Lin got a taste of Low-A last season. He made five starts for the Tortugas, logged just over 16 innings, and posted a 3.78 ERA with a 30.4% strikeout rate. Opposing batters only managed to hit .159 off the right-hander, and he walked just five of the 69 batters he faced.

Lin has struggled with command this season, as evidenced by his troublesome 22.2% walk rate. Fans should expect that number to go down as the season progresses, however. He's issued six free passes while striking out nine through his first two starts.

Lin is among the top-10 organizational prospects according to MLB Pipeline while FanGraphs sees him a marginal top-20 performer. Most scouts view Lin as a backend starter. Andrew Abbott was once seen in that same light and he went to the All-Star Game last season. Moreover, Lin's time as a two-way player obviously reveals how athletic he is; something that should help him repeat his delivery and maintain his mechanics as he matures.

The biggest knock on Lin is probably his size. At 5-foot-11, some wonder whether or not he has the physical tools to become a successful big-league starter. If his performance over the weekend in Daytona was a preview of coming attractions, the answer is an unequivocal, yes.

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