The 2023 Cincinnati Reds took the first step from rebuilding organization to contender, and 2023 saw the graduations of so many of their top prospects, many of which played a big role in the comeuppance. Matt McClain, Elly De La Cruz, Andrew Abbott, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand all made major contributions to this squad. While that takes a toll to the top of their system, the cupboard is by no means bare. (@darylhauck)
Seven Prospects1500 writers contributed to this column and rankings including Scott Greene (@Scotty_Ballgame), Tony Bps (@tonybps1), Greg Bracken (@gregbracken07), Adam Greene (@aj_greene1015), Clint Fasse (@ProspectLarceny), Daryl Hauck (@darylhauck), and Jeremy Mahy (@JMahyfam). The writer’s Twitter handle follows each player write-up or paragraph.
Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential to make the majors; possible sleeper candidates for sustained MLB success
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who may make (or have made) the majors but provide minimal impact
Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2023
Tier 1
1. Noelvi Marte, 3B, 22, MLB
Marte, the main chip that came to Cincinnati in the Luis Castillo trade, is likely to graduate from this list within the first week or two of the 2024 season (114 AB). The Dominican Republic native started to see time at third base in the 2022 Arizona Fall League, and that’s where he primarily played in 2023 for Chattanooga and Louisville, in addition to his 35 game MLB debut. He projects to start at the hot corner for the Reds coming out of Spring Training and could be a prime candidate for Rookie of the Year. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
Tier 2
2. Rhett Lowder, RHP, 21, College
The Reds opted to delay Lowder’s professional debut until the 2024 season, but he had a standout collegiate season that culminated in a College World Series appearance and he earned a top ten pick. His dominant changeup paired with tight control of the strike zone make him one of the best pitching prospects that’s been a part of Cincinnati’s system in a while. His two other offerings, a fastball with multiple inches of sink and a mid 80s slider, will put him on the fast track through the Reds minor leagues. If he can replicate anything close to his last few collegiate seasons, Lowder can easily become one of the better pitching prospects from around the league. (@aj_greene1015)
3. Edwin Arroyo, SS, 20, Double-A
Arroyo got off to a rough start last season which hurt him a little bit on some of the midseason rankings. When the calendar turned to June, he got hot and crushed High-A pitching earning a late season taste of Double-A ball. I don’t know if he ends up with enough power to be a 25 HR/20 SB type hitter. I do see a 15/20 full time regular, likely at second base. That would make a nice middle infielder just not a star. (@JMahyfam)
4. Chase Petty, RHP, 20, Double-A
The 2021 1st round pick by Minnesota could be the next starter to come up for the Reds. The 20-year-old spent most of 2023 in High-A ball, pitching just 8 innings in Double-A. But the Reds have seen enough to invite him to Spring Training. Cincinnati has a ton of arms now, but if an injury provides an opening, Petty will be a name to keep an eye on. (@darylhauck)
5. Sal Stewart, 3B, 20, High-A
Stewart enjoyed his first full season in the minors where played in 117 games over Single-A and High-A. He was able to regularly hit for extra bases and drive in runs, and was surprisingly able to even steal fifteen bases. While speed may not be his strong suit, he played good defense and could move around the infield when needed. His combination of power and tendency to take walks over striking out make him one of the better Reds prospects in terms of getting on base. He ended the year with 84 walks and only 77 strikeouts. Stewart still has some more power to tap into, but will have plenty of opportunities to showcase that during the 2024 season. (@aj_greene1015)
6. Carlos Jorge, 2B/OF, 20, High-A
Jorge, the Reds’ top international signing back in 2021 at 17 years old, brings a wealth of talent to the table. Following his first two seasons in Rookie ball, Carlos put together a solid season in Single-A/High-A slashing .282/.374/.464/.838, with a somewhat surprising 12 HR and 50 RBI. Add to that, 32 stolen bases. It may be an aggressive assignment, but Cincinnati could push him to AA Chattanooga sometime in 2024 to see what he can do against upper level MiLB pitching. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
7. Cam Collier, 3B, 19, Single-A
The 19 year-old third baseman was primed to make huge strides in 2023, and although he dealt with more struggles than anticipated, he still had a respectable campaign for his first full season. Collier faced the ebbs and flows of a professional season, having some stretches where he was having difficulty getting on base and others where he was routinely getting multiple hits a game. Collier can play good defense with space to improve, but the real upside lies in his bat. Even with the adjustment to better pitching, he was easily able to square up higher velocities and barrel balls. He ranked among the top of all Single-A hitters in exit velocity. Collier won’t even be 20 by the end of the season, so small concerns like ground ball rate have more than enough time to be ironed out. (@aj_greene1015)
Tier 3
8. Connor Phillips, RHP, 22, MLB
Phillips got the MLB call-up in September and started five games with mixed results, his best appearance being a 7 IP, 2 R, quality start and he tallied 9 Ks in another game. Seattle’s 2nd round pick during the abbreviated Covid draft, was dealt to Cincinnati in March 2022. His 13.2 K/9 was stellar – 154 punchouts in 105 IP across Double-A/Triple-A. He’s projected to be part of the AAA Louisville rotation to start the season, but odds are good he sees more MLB action in 2024. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
9. Ricardo Cabrera, SS/3B, 19, Single-A
Cabrera came with a ton of hype when the Reds signed him out of Venezuela in 2022 but had a lackluster debut. In 2023, he lived up to the hype when he slashed .346/.475/.531 with 5 home runs and 21 stolen bases in 39 complex level games. The 19-year-old shows a good feel to hit with some big power/speed upside. There is a real chance for an impact infielder here, you will just have to patient. (@JMahyfam)
10. Blake Dunn, OF, 25, Double-A
By the numbers, you would be hard pressed to find anyone in this system who had a better year than Dunn. Across High-A/Double-A he slashed .312/.425/.522 with 23 home runs, 79 RBI, and 54 stolen bases. Keep in mind that he finished the year as a 25-year-old so he will need a repeat performance at the highest levels next year for me to fully buy in. There is a chance that there is a solid big league regular here, but also a chance for a fourth outfielder. In deeper dynasty leagues I am willing to take the chance and find out. (@JMahyfam)
11. Alfredo Duno, DH, 18, Rookie (DSL)
One of last year’s J15 international signees, Duno debuted in the Dominican Summer League as a 17-year-old. The 6’2″ Venezuelan slashed .303/.451/.493/.945 in 195 plate appearances, with 6 HR and 41 RBI. He’s listed as a catcher, which is denoted on his 1st Bowman card (2023 Bowman Chrome), but he DH’d in all 45 DSL games. We’ll see where he plays in 2024, likely in the Arizona Complex League. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
12. Rece Hinds, OF, 23, Double-A
The former third baseman, now right fielder, finally had a mostly healthy season. He is a little behind on the development curve with all of the injuries, but he put up some solid numbers in Double-A. He needs to get the K rate down (32.8% last year), but when he makes contact, the balls tend to go a long way. If you’re in a league where others have seemed to give up on him, consider getting him now. (@darylhauck)
13. Ty Floyd, RHP, 22, College
The 38th pick in last year’s draft has yet to make his professional debut after helping LSU win the National Championship. The former Tiger gets a bit overshadowed by fellow teammates and draftees Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews. Floyd should not be overlooked and is a good player in his own right, going 7-0 last year with 120 strikeouts in 91 innings. He has a big fastball and if his secondary pitches and command progresses, he could have some serious upside. (@JMahyfam)
14. Hector Rodríguez, OF, 19, High-A
The former Mets farmhand had a bounceback season in 2023 after dealing with injuries in 2022. He came into some power, hitting 16 homers after only totaling six over the previous two seasons. He is often overlooked when you talk about players in the Reds system, but Rodriguez is a prospect that could move quickly and is still only 19. With his speed and good defense, he could be manning centerfield in Cincinnati by 2026. (@darylhauck)
15. Lyon Richardson, RHP, 23, MLB
2023 was an interesting year for the righty starting pitcher. Richardson was doing pretty well in Double-A and the Reds decided to give him a taste of Triple-A, where he wasn’t seeing the same results. Then, the major league team dealt with injuries which forced him to the majors before he was ready. The results were not good (16 ER in 16.2 IP, with 15 BB in 4 games). However, Richardson is still only 23 and has shown improvements as he has progressed. He will be in Triple-A to start the year and this is an important season for his development. (@darylhauck)
Tier 4
16. Jay Allen II, OF, 21, High-A
17. Julian Aguiar, RHP, 22, Double-A
18. Sammy Stafura, SS, 19, Rookie (ACL)
19. Victor Acosta, SS, 19, Single-A
20. Cole Schoenwetter, RHP, 19, High School
21. Leonardo Balcazar, SS, 19, Single-A
22. Levi Stoudt, RHP, 26, MLB
23. Carlos Sanchez, SS/3B, 19, Single-A
24. Jacob Hurtubise, OF, 26, Triple-A
25. Zach Maxwell, RHP, 22, High-A
26. Austin Hendrick, OF, 22, High-A
27. Esmith Pineda, OF, 19, Rookie (ACL)
28. Jose Acuña, RHP, 21, High-A
Allen has some good tools but hasn’t really put it all together yet. He has a ton of speed and can grow into his power if he can manage the strike zone as he gains experience. Aguiar has the stuff to become a mid-rotation starter with a good fastball and developing offspeed pitches. Stafura is more of a power-over-hit type of player with very good speed. Acosta has some speed but not power at all and has been struggling to hit for average in the minors. Schoenwetter can develop into a mid-rotation starter. He didn’t pitch this season after being selected in the 4th round in the 2023 draft. Balcazar is all about projection right now being a 19-year-old with a good all-around set of tools. Stoudt and Maxwell are future reliever-types in the big leagues. Sanchez has shown a good feel for hitting in his two years in the organization and is expected to grow into power as he develops. Hurtubise had some success in the Arizona Fall League, with a .380 OBP and 11 SB. He’s 26 and will be in Triple-A, just a call away from GABP. Hendrick hasn’t fulfilled the promise after being taken 12th in the 2020 draft. He has shown he can hit for power but with massive strikeout concerns. Pineda is one to keep an eye on in this tier with his tools. He has potential for power and to hit for a solid average. (@tonybps1)
Tier 5
29. Sheng-En Lin, OF/SS, 18, Rookie (ACL)
30. Logan Tanner, C, 23, Single-A
31. Adam Serwinowski, LHP, 19, Rookie (ACL)
32. Ariel Almonte, OF, 20, Single-A
33. Bryce Hubbart, LHP, 22, Single-A
34. Cade Hunter, OF, 23, Double-A
35. Tyler Callihan, 2B, 23, Double-A
36. Allan Cerda, OF, 24, Double-A
37. Christian Roa, RHP, 24, Triple-A
38. Hunter Hollan, LHP, 21, College
39. Yerlin Confidan, OF, 21, Single-A
40. Bryce Bonnin, RHP, 25, Injured (High-A in 2022)
41. Daniel Vellojin, C, 23, Double-A
42. Andrew Moore, RHP, 24, High-A
43. Carson Spiers, RHP, 26, MLB
44. Ethan O’Donnell, OF, 21, Single-A
45. T.J. Sikkema, LHP, 25, Double-A
46. Chris McElvain, RHP, 23, High-A
47. Connor Burns, C, 22, Single-A
48. Kenya Huggins, RHP, 21, Single-A
49. Jose Torres, SS, 24, Double-A
50. Alfredo Alcantara, SS/2B, 18, Rookie (DSL)
Lin is a potential two-way player after a successful career in Taiwan. Tanner is a defensive-minded catcher with little offense to his game at the moment. Almonte hasn’t looked overmatched in the minor leagues and has the tools to be a solid major leaguer if he continues to put it all together. Hunter has good hitting skills as a catcher and has been spending time in the outfield to get his bat in the lineup more often. Callihan is a utility type/bench type of player. Cerda is a good source of power but does not have a good hitting skill-set to succeed in the minors. Confidan has power for days but strikes out way too much to contribute at the major league level. Bonnin and McElvain have the potential to be mid-rotation starters in the majors. Spiers has struggled in the minors and also in his short stint in the majors in 2023. Serwinowski, Hubbart, Roa, Hollan, Moore, and Sikkema are all middle reliever types. Burns, drafted in the 5th round this past summer, was born on Christmas Day! (@tonybps1)
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Adam Greene is a Sport Management and Marketing double major at UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management. His main focus is sport marketing, where he's already had internships with the local Westfield Starfires and Springfield Thunderbirds. He now writes for the Cape Cod Baseball League. From Longmeadow, MA, Adam is a huge Red Sox fan and has been following the team his whole life. When Covid hit, he started paying a lot more attention to the Red Sox minor league teams, and now, follows them almost as much as the big league squad. Follow him on Twitter at @aj_greene1015 and Instagram at the same handle.
President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing in real life. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.
Tony Bps Spina is a lifelong baseball fan hailing from the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! Tony has loved baseball since 1980 and has followed the Phillies through good and bad times. Tony is married with 3 kids and works for a financial institution but has enough free time to play in 20 fantasy baseball leagues with 75% of them being Dynasty Leagues. He lives a few blocks away from Citizens Bank Park and attends many Phillies games per year in addition to their minor league teams in Lehigh Valley and Reading. He can be reached on Twitter at @TonyBps1.
Jeremy covers the St Louis organization and contributes on Prospects of the Week for Prospects1500. Born and raised in the Midwest, he is a lifelong fan of the Birds on the Bat. You can follow him on Twitter @JMahyfam for more baseball content.
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too." -Yogi Berra
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Daryl Hauck IIhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/reds005/
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