Cincinnati Reds Mid-Season Prospect Report

The Cincinnati Reds are not having the season fans had hoped for. After an electric start in April, going 17-9, they have since stumbled. Are they technically still alive in the Wild Card race? Maybe if you squint. Do I expect them to be buyers at the deadline? No.

So, we will shift our focus to the minor leagues. A system that has been ranked in the 15-20 range by most outlets and has two top-100 prospects, according to our Just Baseball’s own list.

Although the system is not nearly as strong as it has been in recent years due to graduations and downward trends, there are a number of breakouts and surprises coming up behind the rocketship that is Alfred Duno.

Today, I am going to work through the non-rookie ball teams and highlight the top prospects and other names I think you should keep an eye on. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Stats as of games on July 3.

Triple-A Louisville Bats

MLB Pipeline Top Prospects: Héctor Rodríguez (OF, no. 5), Jose Franco (P, no. 10), Carlos Jorge (OF, no.16), Julian Aguiar (P, no. 17)

Others To Watch: Jose Acuna (P), Hunter Parks (P)

The Bats’ outfield got much more interesting the week when Carlos Jorge was promoted from Double-A. The 22-year-old center fielder always had an interesting mix of plus defense and speed, but just how much he would hit became the question.

He’s a smaller player without much power, which placed a heavy emphasis on his bat-to-ball skills, which have improved. In Double-A, he slashed .330/.402/.452 with 23 stolen bases and a 125 wRC+ across 59 games.

His blend of speed and defense gives him a path to a major league roster, but in order to stick, he’ll have to elevate the ball more. Not in a way to tap into home run power but instead shooting more line drives and improving on his 52.1% ground ball rate.

A much-needed center field prospect who’s trending in the right direction, Jorge is Rule 5 eligible and will need to be added to the 40-man this offseason. I anticipate that happening.

Héctor Rodríguez is the top prospect in Louisville and should get an opportunity in Cincinnati soon. His greatest flaw is chasing pitches outside of the zone, but he has made strides in the right direction this season.

His power has also jumped to a .248 ISO with 19 home runs, matching his total from all of last season. A .282/.359/.530 slash and 127 wRC+ would be welcomed in the Reds lineup. His defense needs a lot of work, but the bat should stick.

My favorite pitching prospect of the bunch is actually a player outside of the top 30, Jose Acuna. The 23-year-old righty posted a 3.54 ERA, 4.43 FIP, 9.54 K/9, and 3.54 BB/9 in 15 Double-A starts before getting the call to Louisville.

The swing-and-miss stuff is good enough to play, and I think he could become a good option out of the bullpen if the Reds move him there. Hunter Parks is already in the bullpen and has great swing-and-miss (12.44 K/9) with a plus slider but struggles to find the zone. His combo of a high groundball rate and high strikeout rate gives him a floor I’m comfortable with.

Jose Franco and Julian Aguiar, in my opinion, are organizational depth options. Aguiar has not had the same command since his injury, and Franco has not stood out to me in any particular way. Fine options in a pinch but not players I would project to have a steady roster spot.

Double-A Chattanooga

MLB Pipeline Top Prospects: Alfredo Duno (C, no. 1), Cam Collier (3B/1B, no. 6), Leo Balcazar (INF, no. 15), Carlos Sanchez (INF/CF, no. 25)

Others To Watch: Carter Graham (1B/3B/OF), Kien Vu (OF), Nestor Lorant (P), Nick Sando (P)

The player to watch here is top prospect Alfredo Duno, Just Baseball’s No. 11 prospect. A big guy with athletic ability and power that has driven him up prospect rankings.

At only 20.5 years old, there’s still room to grow and develop, but the Reds’ recent promotion of Duno to Double-A – after he slashed .260/.390/.512 with 16 home runs and a 126 wRC+ in High-A – tells me they view him as the catcher of the future sooner rather than later.

Duno’s the type of prospect you can tell is just different right from the jump. The ball explodes off his bat, and his swing is violent but not out of control. I do have serious concerns with how much contact he’ll make, but even if he’s a high strikeout player, the power should be enough to make him valuable. He continues to improve defensively, which was another concern that I have since tempered.

Catchers typically take longer to develop. Learning to call a game and manage a pitching staff takes a ton of reps, and Duno’s injury past has not allowed him those reps. He’s only played in 213 games above rookie ball, and I am afraid the Reds are fast-tracking him more due to need than readiness.

At this rate, Duno could debut at 21 years old in 2027, and I hope we do not see that forced like we did with Jose Barrero. The power will play, and I know he’s a special prospect, so holding him to the average standard might be me being too cautious.

Cam Collier is another big name you might know. However, I would personally have him much lower on my prospect rankings. He’s a limited defender that’s more likely a 1B/DH, but the power hasn’t been what it needs to be. He’s struggled to a .222/.315/.399 slash and 85 wRC+ this season, but at 21 years old we cannot write him off yet. He is Rule 5 eligible this winter.

One player I would have further up my rankings is Carlos Sanchez. The 21-year-old has played mostly short but can also play outfield and third, giving him some flexibility. Enough power and speed to be intriguing, and the approach at the plate has him looking like a more complete hitter this year.

He’s improved off lefties (.756 OPS) and doesn’t try to do too much at the plate. He’ll shoot the ball to left on an outside pitch and can still drive the ball to both gaps. I really like the trajectory and think he’s solid enough in multiple areas to eventually be a big leaguer. He, too, is Rule 5 eligible.

Kien Vu and Carter Graham are two guys outside of the top 30 making some noise. Graham was a non-prospect without any power in years prior and exploded to hit 17 home runs in 66 games before getting promoted. A .315/.443/.601 slash and 162 wRC+ has gained interest from fans.

Vu was a college outfielder who hit well in High-A and recently got promoted. Some power and speed with a swing that might have a few too many moving parts to stay on velocity at the highest level.

Lastly, the pitchers. Nestor Lorant (Rule 5 eligible) is an older prospect for the level but has pitched well at times. Two years ago, he really landed on radars, but 2025 was a step back. He’s currently injured, but I think the best path forward would be fast-tracking him as a relief pitcher and not keeping him as a starter. Swing-and-miss out of the bullpen is something the organization needs.

High-A Dayton

MLB Pipeline Top Prospects: Tyson Lewis (SS/3B, no. 4), Mason Neville (OF, no. 19), Ricky Cabrera (INF, no. 21), JeanPierre Ortiz (P, no. 23), Alfredo Alcantara (INF, no. 29)

Others To Watch: Ovis Portes (P), Kyle McCoy (P), Jacob Friend (C/1B/OF)

Tyson Lewis is the big name on the list and recently joined Dayton in a surprising move after slashing only .243/.311/.375 with an 84 wRC+ in Single-A. Lewis started trending up national lists after posting ridiculous exit velocities around 114 mph at the complex. Loud contact and power potential make him an intriguing prospect, but I do worry the swing and miss will be too much.

You can live with a high strikeout rate if you also walk enough, but Lewis is a free swinger with a chase problem to go with the in-zone whiff. Over a 35% chase rate and a strikeout rate a couple percentage points lower, in the low minors, is more likely to lead to more problems than answers as he advances.

He’s only 20 years old, so I’m far from writing him off, but I do think there’s a boom-or-bust prospect here that I would not have as high. A similar story with Neville.

I need to see more from JeanPierre Ortiz before I have too strong of an opinion. The limited views I have had did not have me coming away as excited as I thought his fastball was below what I would have expected. He has only been a full-time pitcher for a couple of years, so we’ll see how he develops.

Outside of Lewis, I’m most intrigued by the players on the “others to watch” list. Ovis Portes has a unique short-arm delivery with a fastball that has late movement and plenty of velocity. I think he could pair the fastball well with his slider and eventually turn into a swing-and-miss bullpen arm. There’s intrigue, but he’s a couple of years away, and I don’t think he will stay a starter.

Kyle McCoy is a 6-foot-6 lefty with a side arm slot that is funky. If there’s one thing I like, it’s funky lefties, and the taller the better. I think the uniqueness and long stride will allow for enough swing and miss, and he’s already producing a high groundball rate, which gives me hope on his floor.

Lastly, Jacob Friend has done nothing but hit since joining the Reds. He has split time between Single and High-A this season, slashing .284/.421/.551 with 14 home runs, 16 stolen bases, and a 151 wRC+. Another batter with swing-and-miss concerns but a unique blend of versatility that could become a good depth piece in the future.

Low-A Daytona

Pipeline Top Prospects: Sheng-En Lin (P, no. 9), Mason Morris (P, no. 11), Arnaldo Lantigua (OF, no. 14), Stharlin Torres (P, no. 22), Deivi Villafana (P, no. 26), Edgar Colon (P, no. 30)

Others to Watch: Kyle Henley (OF), Pablo Nunez (OF)

Admittedly, the looks I have had for Single-A are rather limited. Not only do I spend less time watching these players due to how far they are from the big leagues, but not all of their games are available, and often the camera angles are rough. But, I will still share some thoughts even if they are not the most concrete of opinions.

Sheng-En Lin was a big name when he signed due to being a two-way player. That experience did not last long, and he is now only focused on pitching; he’s posted a 4.18 ERA and 4.05 FIP across 13 starts.

You can see why people are high on him just by watching. The movement on his pitches is noticeable, and the breaking ball looks legit. To me, there’s a good chance Lin becomes a big leaguer in some capacity.