Top Reds prospect still has a shot to silence his doubters after spring setback

After suffering a hand injury during spring training, Cincinnati Reds prospect Cam Collier returned to action on May 19. Surgery sidelined Collier for over two months before his rehab stint with the ACL Reds last month where he hit .394 with five extra-base hits and six RBI over 10 games.

Collier was moved up to High-A Dayton recently and is looking to make some noise this season. After just seven games, Collier is hitting .250 with a .649 OPS and 14.3% walk-rate. He now has nearly 550 plate appearances at the High-A level.

A promotion to Double-A is likely, but Sal Stewart's presence could make that difficult. The Reds No. 3-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, has impressed through the first few months of the 2025 season with the Chattanooga Lookouts, but Stewart's development shouldn't be rushed.

Top Reds prospect Cam Collier eyes big rebound after spring training injury setback

Collier as been used to DH a lot throughout his career, but getting reps in the field is a necessity. He committed 18 errors in 2024 and already has two miscues at third base for the Dayton Dragons this season. Though Stewart's presence may hold Collier's promotion back, the former first-round pick must improve his defense before receiving a call-up to Double-A anyway.

While Collier is an exciting prospect, his flaws are a reminder of his youth (20). With Cincinnati's surplus of infield talent — Reds have three infielders on MLB.com's top 100 prospects list — Collier has time to grow as a professional, and doesn't need to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft until after the 2026 season.

Collier's high-upside and age are two reasons to be excited about the prospect's future with the Reds organization. With two professional seasons under his belt, and the thumb injury now in the rearview mirror, Collier is primed and ready to show Cincinnati he's ready for more in 2025. Hopefully he gets his chance in the upper-levels of the minor leagues as the season moves along.

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