Will he stick at SS? Will he move to 3B? He’s the #8 prospect in the Reds system, that’s what he is!
Had I managed to get this published yesterday, I’d be writing about a different Cincinnati Reds prospect. But with the poll left open for an additional 24 hours of marination as my teething 8 month old eschewed sleeping for another day in favor of screaming, the voting tallies for each respective option changed.
The end result? Ricardo Cabrera landing at #8 in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, a spot that’s well deserved for the sweet-swinging 19 year old Venezuelan who hit rockets all over the field last season.
Cabrera finished the 2023 season with a light cameo with the Daytona Tortugas, and my best guess is that the Reds will send him there to begin 2024, too, with the idea being that he may well hit his way up to Dayton in a hurry. The only question remaining for Cabrera, it would appear, is whether or not he sticks at SS for another year or the Reds begin to move him around the diamond with the future in mind.
Congrats to Ricardo, and on to the voting for spot #9.
(Apologies for not adding a fifth player to the voting option today – I promise to make it up by adding a pair to the next round over the weekend.)
Carlos Jorge, 2B/CF – 20 years old
2023 at a glance: .282/.374/.464 with 12 HR, 32 SB in 450 PA split between the Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League) and Dayton Dragons (High-A Midwest League)
Pros: Impressive 13.2% walk rate with Daytona; obliterated Florida State League pitching despite its proclivity for pitching-friendliness; four true tools and potential for plus power/speed
Cons: Moved off SS already, still searching for a defensive identity; struggled in initial 23 G for High-A Dayton after mid-season promotion (.674 OPS)
Listed at just 5’10” and 160 lbs, Jorge isn’t the kind of player who would wow you getting off the bus, but he possesses plus speed and a sweet, sweet left-handed swing that can spray liners all over the field. His power is progressing, and that paired with an elite eye at the plate led him to the single highest OPS in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League last year (min. 250 PA).
He was signed out of the Dominican Republic as a SS, but he’s already been moved to 2B primarily, though last season saw him begin to get clock in CF (due both to his talent and to a crowded infield mix his age that includes both Cam Collier and Sal Stewart also looking for their defensive roles). If he can stick at either of those spots – or hell, at both! – his offensive profile looks promising, with 15-20 homer upside and enough speed to swipe 30+ bags in the cards. If he has to move to 3B or a corner OF spot, however, that outlook becomes dimmer due to the offensive expectations of players in those spots.
This season will be a defining one for Jorge as he’ll begin back in Dayton with a chance to show that his early success in the lower minors can translate to better competition. The tools, though, are very much there.
Ty Floyd, RHP – 22 years old
2023 at a glance: 4.35 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 120/37 K/BB in 91.0 IP for Louisiana State University; Drafted in the 1st round (38th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2023 MLB Draft
Pros: 95+ mph fastball from low release point whose ride allows him to flourish up in the zone (a la Tyler Mahle); excellent command of primary pitches
Cons: Low-use secondary offerings (slider, change) that still need a lot of work to avoid landing as a reliever
Floyd’s delivery and mastery of his go-to offering – a rising fastball from a low-ish arm angle that is deceptive as heck to hitters – means his upside is that of a big league reliever in very, very short order. If he can manage to improve his slider and change, though, he’s got the kind of control of the zone that could make him a very effective mid-rotation starter, too.
Said delivery elicits memories of both Tyler Mahle and Lucas Sims, in many ways, an almost abrupt, short-armed motion that creates deception to go along with mid-90’s gas. Said approach was incredibly effective during his time with LSU, including a spotlighted 17 K game against the University of Florida in the highest profile game in which Floyd has pitched thus far (the College World Series).
Alfredo Duno, C/DH – 18 years old
2023 at a glance: .303/.451/.493 with 6 HR, 6 SB, and 38/41 BB/K in 195 PA for the Dominican Summer League Reds
Pros: Plus arm and agility at the catching position paired with plus raw power and elite bat speed
Cons: Served only as DH during his DSL season, so we’ve not seen those potential catching tools on display yet; if he grows any more, he could be forced to move off catching altogether
Alfredo Duno is still very much the ink and paper of his scouting report and little more at this juncture, even if what’s written on there makes your eyes widen with almost every word. Signed for $3.1 million out of Venezuela during last year’s international signing window, he’s got talent galore that, if continually developed, could see him boast the kind of skills that make one an All Star catcher.
Great arm strength, athleticism defensively behind the plate, an eye at the plate (38/41 BB/K last season), elite raw power, and bat speed that should make him a consistent hitter for average? So far, he’s checked most all of those boxes at least somewhere along the line, though we’ve just simply not had the chance to see it play out at a high enough level to truly get blown away.
He’s not had that chance…yet. He’ll begin to get it in 2024.
Hector Rodriguez, OF/2B – 20 years old
2023 at a glance: .293/.343/.495 with 16 HR, 18 SB, in 499 PA split between Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League) and Dayton Dragons (High-A Midwest League)
Pros: High contact, low-K% left-handed swing that’s showing increased power; plus speed
Cons: Compact build, swings a lot (perhaps too much); infielder the Reds are trying to convert to CF
Acquired as a savvy piece of the deal that sent Tyler Naquin to the New York Mets a few summers ago, Rodriguez smashed his way through the pitcher-friendly Florida State League last year like few others. Like no other, really – his .510 slugging percentage was hands down the best in the league, well ahead of fellow CPR nominee Carlos Jorge’s .483 in second place.
Rodriguez sputtered a bit in his 14 games in Dayton post call-up before his season ended early due to a leg injury, but he returned to ball this winter in the Dominican Winter League and smashed again while there. His line-drive producing swing and plus speed to leg out triples led to an .831 OPS in DWL play and a nod as the league’s Rookie of the Year, showing that he’s already put his injury issues aside.
If he sticks in CF, that combination of speed and power offensively will profile tremendously going forward.