Reds’ Top Prospects Have Refreshing Response to Growing Expectations

Jul 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Cincinnati Reds cap and glove during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Reds’ Top Prospects Have Refreshing Response to Growing Expectations

Originally posted on Cincinnati Reds on SI
By Roger Straz | Last updated Sep 10, 2026 8:52 AM ET

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Alfredo Duno and Steele Hall are the top two prospects in the Cincinnati Reds Organization. Both have bright futures, and both have interesting ways of dealing with the pressure of being big-time prospects.

Steele Hall's Response

Steele Hall was the Cincinnati Reds' 2025 first-round pick (9th overall) out of Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama. Hall made his professional debut in the Arizona Complex League in 2026, and he was great. In 58 games, Hall hit .288 with an OPS of .904, with ten home runs and 42 RBIs. This earned him a promotion to Low-A Daytona, where he helped the Tortugas to a second-half playoff-clinching berth. Recently, Hall sat down and answered some questions about his 2026 season.

Hall was asked about the pressure of being a top prospect.

"I don't really pay too much attention to the rankings and all that stuff because, again, getting to the majors is going to take a process," Hall told Reds.com. "So I mean, it's pretty cool to see your name at the top of the list. But yeah, I really just try to play my game and not try to really focus on things that I really can't control. I don't really feel too much pressure with that."

That is an interesting response from Hall. He is not the only Reds prospect who is dealing with pressure.

Alfredo Duno's Response

Alfredo Duno is the Cincinnati Reds' number one prospect who was signed during the 2023 International Free Agency period. Duno has had a great 2026 season, in which he started in high-A Dayton and earned a promotion to Double-A Chattanooga midseason. The Venezuelan catcher is the next big thing in the Reds organization, and there is a lot of pressure on him.

Duno was asked if he felt any pressure being the team's No. 1-ranked prospect.

"No. I never feel any pressure," he said. "I just try to play the game and enjoy it to the best of my ability. Give it 100% no matter what; I’m always going to give it everything I have. There’s going to be good moments, and there’s going to be bad moments, but being the number one prospect doesn’t make me better or worse."

That is a very mature response from Duno.

Both Alfredo Duno and Steele Hall are fantastic prospects who will be future stars for the Reds. The way they go about their business and how they deal with pressure is why they are so successful.

You can see the full Q+A with Duno and Hall here.

Follow me on X at @RedHotRedsPod

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Reds on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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