Reds' farm primed to continue production

Reds' farm primed to continue production
More rookies in line to make way up system in 2010
By Lisa Winston / MLB.com

11/25/09 10:00 AM EST

While the 2009 Cincinnati Reds did not land any players among the final vote-getters in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, the club certainly had a more-than-respectable pipeline of young players that contributed throughout the season.

Outfielders Drew Stubbs and Chris Dickerson, infielders Paul Janish and Adam Rosales, pitchers Carlos Fisher, Matt Maloney and Ramon Ramirez and catcher Ryan Hanigan all got a chance to show their stuff to one degree or another as a total of 17 rookies saw playing time at one point or another for the Reds.

And the club's continued balanced depth at the upper levels suggests more of the same in 2010.

"I would say our Triple-A team is going to be really good and we'll have some guys who will be in a position to help us in the big leagues," said Terry Reynolds, Cincinnati's director of player development.

Among that crew are several of the organization's best prospects, among them first baseman Yonder Alonso, their first-round Draft pick in 2008; shortstop Zack Cozart, the most advanced of a deep crew of middle infielders; shortstop/second baseman Chris Valaika, who is coming back from a broken hand which cost him most of 2009; Todd Frazier, a shortstop-turned-outfielder who may be the top all-around prospect in the system right now; and outfielder Chris Heisey, who was the system's Minor League Hitter of the Year between Double-A Carolina and Triple-A Louisville in '09.

"I think any or all of them, if needed, could go to the big leagues," Reynolds added.

The logjam at shortstop in the Minors, which at one point included Janish, Cozart, Valaika and Frazier, has been eased somewhat by the shift of the latter two into more utility-type players. At this point, Reynolds said, he sees Frazier opening the season as Louisville's left fielder and Valaika as their second baseman, with Cozart at shortstop.

"Ultimately, though, that will be the GM's decision and it puts him in a good spot that all of those guys can play multiple positions and play them so well," Reynolds said. "If he has a hole anywhere, he has someone to plug into it. They've all created more value for themselves with their versatility."

That depth at shortstop doesn't end at the upper levels. Far from it, in fact. Three of the most intriguing prospects in the system are all, for now at least, shortstops as well. Miguel Rojas, the 20-year-old Venezuelan who hit .273 at Class A Dayton, is likely to open the season in that spot at Advanced A Lynchburg, the Reds' new affiliate since moving out of the Florida State League. Mariekson Gregorius, a Dutch teenager who hit .314 at short-season Billings last year, is expected to open the season at Dayton, while raw-but-athletic Billy Hamilton, the club's second-round Draft pick this year out of high school in Mississippi, has blazing speed and a strong arm and will probably begin the year at extended Spring Training before joining Billings in June.

When it came to the Draft, the Reds seemed comfortable enough with their wealth of hitters to concentrate more on advanced pitching. They signed their first 16 picks which included 10 pitchers, seven of them out of college.

The first two picks, Arizona State right-hander Mike Leake and USC right-hander Brad Boxberger, both got their first real mound time in the Arizona Fall League, where Leake made his debut with a 1.37 ERA in six outings. Boxberger struggled with an 11.37 ERA but struck out 13 in 12 2/3 innings.

While the Reds finished at 78-84, six games below .500 in the big leagues, the Minor League affiliates took their hits as well, going a combined 343-415 (.453), 29th out of 30 clubs. But the Louisville squad went 84-58 and made it to the International League playoffs, while the Gulf Coast League team also finished over .500 (28-27).

ORGANIZATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

MLB.com's Preseason Picks

Neftali Soto, 3B: Soto, the Reds' third-round pick in 2007 out of high school in Puerto Rico, broke all of Juan Gonzalez's power records there and continued to hit .340 with 11 homers and 47 RBIs in just 67 games between Billings and Dayton in 2008. In '09 he came down to earth, batting .248 with 11 homers and 57 RBIs at Advanced A Sarasota. Still just 20, there is plenty of time for Soto to reach his potential. With veteran Scott Rolen and power-hitting Juan Francisco there, there's no rush either. A position move is not out of the question.

JC Sulbaran, RHP: In his pro debut, the Curacao native, who moved to Florida as a teen to become eligible for the Draft, came off an impressive World Baseball Cup debut in which he struck out future Hall of Famer Pudge Rodriguez on three pitches. The 19-year-old was inconsistent at Dayton physically and emotionally, finishing with a 5.24 ERA in 21 starts and striking out 100 in 92 2/3 innings. The talent is there if he can harness it.

MLB.com's Postseason Selections

Chris Heisey, OF: Though lacking one commanding tool, the 17th-rounder from 2006 out of tiny Messiah College in Pennsylvania has done a little bit of everything every season and now sits on the brink of the big leagues. Just added to the 40-man roster this week, he combined to hit .314 with 22 homers, 77 RBIs and 21 steals between Double-A Carolina and Triple-A Louisville, adding 35 doubles to finish in the top five in the organization in all of the key offensive categories. He can play all three outfield positions and has good instincts on the bases and in the field.

Travis Wood, LHP: After a 2008 season in which the crafty lefty struggled to a 7.09 ERA in 80 innings at Double-A Chattanooga, no one could have foreseen his Most Outstanding Pitcher Award after a performance in the Southern League where he posted a 1.21 ERA in 119 innings before moving up to Louisville. Combined between his two stops, Wood was 13-5 with a 1.77 ERA in 27 starts, walking 33 and fanning 135 in 167 2/3 innings. He limited hitters between the two leagues to a .204 average against. A second-rounder in 2005, Wood put his command together, big time, and all of his pitches -- a fastball, changeup, cutter and occasional curve -- have movement.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=cin

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At this point, Reynolds said, he sees Frazier opening the season as Louisville's left fielder and Valaika as their second baseman, with Cozart at shortstop.

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:rolleyes:

No 3rd base again? Ughhhh!

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Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

:rolleyes:

No 3rd base again? Ughhhh!

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Francisco. Again.

So it's possible to see this in LOU this April

1B Alonso
2B Valika
SS Cozart
3B Fransico
LF Frazier
CF Heisey
RF Dorn

It's possible Dorn will be gone, Heisey may break with the Reds but with 5 OF's already with the team they may leave him down there for a few. Nice lineup.

It's not too hard to read the tea leaves, guys. They may say Frazier can play the position but they'd rather Francisco can prove himself able to do it.

I think Jocketty has been very clear with regards to Frazier. Hasn't he said the club clearly knows he's capable of playing 3rd base and that they want to see him in some other places should the club have those needs?

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Originally Posted by redsmetz

I think Jocketty has been very clear with regards to Frazier. Hasn't he said the club clearly knows he's capable of playing 3rd base and that they want to see him in some other places should the club have those needs?

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Jocketty didn't say it, but Terry Reynolds did.

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Originally Posted by dougdirt

Jocketty didn't say it, but Terry Reynolds did.

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I'm sure Reynolds said it.

But let's examine this for a minute. Is the idea that Frazier is a future third baseman -- and is already so adept at the position that he goes year after year without playing third?

In other words, is the idea that Frazier has mastered the hot corner to the point that he doesn't ever need to play the position? I would guess that even Brooks Robinson got in some minor league games at third before becoming Brooks Robinson.

I find it very puzzling and suprising that Frazier is going back to the outfield and continue to wonder what they really plan for him. It seems like they see him as a Mark DeRosa type player with no set major league position. You would think that the team's number 1 prospect according to BA would have a position by his AAA year.

You would think that until you look at the guy they play at 3B ahead of him who could be a 45 HR guy one day who is pretty bad at 3B but is his most ideal position to play if he figures things out. I really think you are overanalyzing the situation. Juan Francisco sucks at 3B right now. He has the tools to play there. He just hasn't figured it all out yet. Todd Frazier is sure handed and has a good and accurate arm. So the guy who needs a ton of work has gotten it there. The guy who can play almost anywhere has played other spots to make room for a kid who has a huge ceiling but needs lots of work.

Francisco is the worst defensive player I have seen in quite some time. That may be due to limited innings, though, as I've only seen him about ten games.

In those ten games, however, he's been nothing short of a butcher. Two errors and at least 20 balls he waved at that another 3B would have probably gotten to. Not to mention really questionable footwork.

His arm is first rate. Strong and accurate. And he absolutely crushed the ball offensively.

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Originally Posted by dougdirt

You would think that until you look at the guy they play at 3B ahead of him who could be a 45 HR guy one day who is pretty bad at 3B but is his most ideal position to play if he figures things out. I really think you are overanalyzing the situation. Juan Francisco sucks at 3B right now. He has the tools to play there. He just hasn't figured it all out yet. Todd Frazier is sure handed and has a good and accurate arm. So the guy who needs a ton of work has gotten it there. The guy who can play almost anywhere has played other spots to make room for a kid who has a huge ceiling but needs lots of work.

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Frazier is supposedly the No. 1 or 2 prospect in the organization. Yet they move him around defensively every year, back and forth. Shortstop, LF, second base, back to LF. Third base as a fill in very infrequently.

Just strikes me as odd, that's all. Nobody is a bigger Francisco fan than me, but they seem to be treating Frazier, defensively, like an afterthought.

Someday, soon, the Reds' true intentions will be clear. Guys will be traded, other guys will actually start to play positions in the majors. But for now, I find it puzzling. And I wonder whether Frazier is happy about it.

As for Francisco, I'm equally as surprised that he is still apparently viewed as an infielder. I expected him to be in LF next year.

Frazier may or may not be able to play 3b (I suspect he can decently), he may or may not be regarded as the number 1 prospect by the org. (I suspect he's considered #3). But it seems pretty clear they're hoping Francisco can be the answer at 3b.

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Originally Posted by HokieRed

Frazier may or may not be able to play 3b (I suspect he can decently), he may or may not be regarded as the number 1 prospect by the org. (I suspect he's considered #3). But it seems pretty clear they're hoping Francisco can be the answer at 3b.

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Right. I think they really feel that Francisco has two spots. 3B and 1B. Given what else we have, 3B is going to be the spot he is going to be hoped to figure out and with his offensive potential they are going to give him all the chances in the world to get it.

Frazier is a guy that they feel can play adequately just about anywhere they put him and because of that the Reds put him wherever they had a spot knowing that he can play there.

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Originally Posted by dougdirt

Frazier is a guy that they feel can play adequately just about anywhere they put him and because of that the Reds put him wherever they had a spot knowing that he can play there.

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I don't know what spots you have in mind for Frazier. If Frazier isn't a third baseman, he's probably a left fielder. They moved him off shortstop. It doesn't sound like he is a second baseman after last year's trial. I thought he would try second base some more, apparently not. He could be a first baseman, but not with Votto and Alonso.

Looked at the Dominican League scoreboard and Francisco played LF last game and I understood he would play LF there this winter. He played LF in the Instructional League and got a good report. I think he could wind up there.

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Originally Posted by Kc61

I don't know what spots you have in mind for Frazier. If Frazier isn't a third baseman, he's probably a left fielder. They moved him off shortstop. It doesn't sound like he is a second baseman after last year's trial. I thought he would try second base some more, apparently not. He could be a first baseman, but not with Votto and Alonso.

Looked at the Dominican League scoreboard and Francisco played LF last game and I understood he would play LF there this winter. He played LF in the Instructional League and got a good report. I think he could wind up there.

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Frazier is a third baseman. He is a left fielder. He is a first baseman. He can cover you at 2B in a pinch. The article posted in the first post says Frazier will be in left field. That tells me that Francisco will be at 3B.

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Originally Posted by dougdirt

Frazier is a third baseman. He is a left fielder. He is a first baseman. He can cover you at 2B in a pinch. The article posted in the first post says Frazier will be in left field. That tells me that Francisco will be at 3B.

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I think you'll see a lot of both guys at 3B and a lot of both in the OF. I also wonder if Alonso is really going to skip AA and go straight to Louisville. Maybe the winter ball is his way of "cramming" for his AAA test, but I think it may be possible that Alonso is at AA and Francisco or Frazier log some time at 1B.

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Originally Posted by mth123

I think you'll see a lot of both guys at 3B and a lot of both in the OF. I also wonder if Alonso is really going to skip AA and go straight to Louisville. Maybe the winter ball is his way of "cramming" for his AAA test, but I think it may be possible that Alonso is at AA and Francisco or Frazier log some time at 1B.

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Alonso had time at AA this season. The injury interrupted his time there, but he did get 120 plate appearances there before going to AAA to help the Bats in the playoffs. He won't be going back to AA or they wouldn't have promoted him for the AAA playoffs.

I think we are actually looking at a very good class of prospects right now. Its hard to really love any of them but on the good side its hard to hate any of them also. Alonso and Leake obviously are the game changing talents on the list but if you got Fraziers and Heiseys on your list you clearly gotta be happy about it. Not to mention some really really good young talent that is waiting in the wings to pop up.

The fact that Frazier is passable at so many positions is a big plus. Anyone who can hit and be plugged in at that many positions has quite a bit of value.

And there's absolutely no reason to have Alonso start next season at AA. That's just a waste of time.

I thought they'd flip them and get Francisco more innings in LF with Frazier at 3B