Reds Top Prospects June 2013 Edition

[Benihana]

Hot off the presses. As always, feel free to have at 'em.

GRADE A Top 25 Prospect and All-Star Potential

1a. Billy Hamilton CF AAA - With Ervin in the system, the pressure is on Billy to wake up (which he's starting to do).
1b. Robert Stephenson RHP A - Probably a top 5 pitching prospect in the game at this point.

GRADE B Top 100 Prospect and Major League Starter

3. Tony Cingrani LHP A+ - He may lose rookie (and prospect) eligibility soon
4. Jesse Winker OF A - Now has some competition for a future spot in the Reds OF
5. Phillip Ervin OF A - Would like to see him start at Dayton alongside Winker

GRADE C Some Trade Value and Should Make the Majors at some point

6. Nick Travieso RHP A - Not a great debut in Dayton. Curious to see how he does there the rest of the year.
7. Michael Lorenzen RHP A - Will he stay a reliever or is he going to be the latest to convert?
8. Dan Corcino RHP AAA - Stock is plummeting. Needs to be demoted or DL'd
9. Chad Rogers RHP AA - Should get a shot in AAA soon, maybe taking Corcino's place
10. Carlos Contreras RHP A+ - His transition to starter has been great so far

ON THE RADAR (Honorable Mention)

Tucker Barnhart C AA - will make the majors, question is if he'll hit enough to start
Tanner Rahier 3B A - the glove and the pop are there, needs to get on base more
Drew Cisco RHP A - most polish of the three amigos listed below
Sal Romano RHP A - the youngest of the three
Ismael Guillon LHP A - has started to turn the corner after a very wild start

KEEP AN EYE ON (Rookie leaguers too early to tell)

Jonathan Reynoso CF
Kevin Franklin 3B
Cory Thompson SS
Mark Armstrong RHP
Amir Garrett LHP
Jacob Clemente LHP

Biggest weakness in the system remains middle infield, I'm hoping the Reds go hard after the international FA market, which is frequently the best place to find those types. Most depth is probably CF, where the Reds have Hamilton, Ervin and Reynoso all in the pipeline. Will be interesting to see how the rookie leaguers perform once that season gets started in a couple weeks.

[mdccclxix]

I haven't given up on H. Rodriguez yet.

[mdccclxix]

Great list though I should say.

[Benihana]

Great list though I should say.

Thanks. I haven't given up on H-Rod either. I just don't see him as a Top 10 (or really 15) prospect. I think he is a utility infielder and pinch hitter at the big league level, but even the latter (pinch-hitter) has some question marks given that he has a .645 OPS through almost 500 career PA in AAA.

One interesting thing to note re: CF depth.

Billy Hamilton is 22.
Phillip Ervin is 20.
Jonathan Reynoso is 19.

All 3 are Top 10 prospects in the system according to BA. Something's gotta give.

[dougdirt]

What puts Ervin ahead of Travieso? Travieso went higher in a better draft and neither guy has any real pro track record to suggest anything.

[Benihana]

What puts Ervin ahead of Travieso? Travieso went higher in a better draft and neither guy has any real pro track record to suggest anything.

That was my big debate- Ervin vs. Travieso, and I think it could swing either way. I don't think draft position by itself dictates anything. Would you rank Christian Arroyo ahead of Ryne Stanek? Travieso needs to do something in his pro career to remain highly rated. If he can post an ERA under 4, a WHIP under 1.20, and/or a K/9 over 9 for the rest of the year in Dayton, or just have scouts rave about his stuff the way they did Stephenson, then I will reconsider.

[dougdirt]

That was my big debate- Ervin vs. Travieso, and I think it could swing either way. I don't think draft position by itself dictates anything. Would you rank Christian Arroyo ahead of Ryne Stanek? Travieso needs to do something in his pro career to remain highly rated. If he can post an ERA under 4, a WHIP under 1.20, and/or a K/9 over 9 for the rest of the year in Dayton, or just have scouts rave about his stuff the way they did Stephenson, then I will reconsider.

Draft position, no. How about money, because Ervin isn't going to get what Travieso did. Neither guy has done anything in their pro career because between them they have like 6 games played.

[corkedbat]

Hot off the presses. As always, feel free to have at 'em.

GRADE A Top 25 Prospect and All-Star Potential

1a. Billy Hamilton CF AAA - With Ervin in the system, the pressure is on Billy to wake up (which he's starting to do).
1b. Robert Stephenson RHP A - Probably a top 5 pitching prospect in the game at this point.

GRADE B Top 100 Prospect and Major League Starter

3. Tony Cingrani LHP A+ - He may lose rookie (and prospect) eligibility soon
4. Jesse Winker OF A - Now has some competition for a future spot in the Reds OF
5. Phillip Ervin OF A - Would like to see him start at Dayton alongside Winker

GRADE C Some Trade Value and Should Make the Majors at some point

6. Nick Travieso RHP A - Not a great debut in Dayton. Curious to see how he does there the rest of the year.
7. Michael Lorenzen RHP A - Will he stay a reliever or is he going to be the latest to convert?
8. Dan Corcino RHP AAA - Stock is plummeting. Needs to be demoted or DL'd
9. Chad Rogers RHP AA - Should get a shot in AAA soon, maybe taking Corcino's place
10. Carlos Contreras RHP A+ - His transition to starter has been great so far

ON THE RADAR (Honorable Mention)

Tucker Barnhart C AA - will make the majors, question is if he'll hit enough to start
Tanner Rahier 3B A - the glove and the pop are there, needs to get on base more
Drew Cisco RHP A - most polish of the three amigos listed below
Sal Romano RHP A - the youngest of the three
Ismael Guillon LHP A - has started to turn the corner after a very wild start

KEEP AN EYE ON (Rookie leaguers too early to tell)

Jonathan Reynoso CF
Kevin Franklin 3B
Cory Thompson SS
Mark Armstrong RHP
Amir Garrett LHP
Jacob Clemente LHP

Biggest weakness in the system remains middle infield, I'm hoping the Reds go hard after the international FA market, which is frequently the best place to find those types. Most depth is probably CF, where the Reds have Hamilton, Ervin and Reynoso all in the pipeline. Will be interesting to see how the rookie leaguers perform once that season gets started in a couple weeks.

I would argue that the biggest weakness is the lack of quality corner bats and has been for five or six years. The biggest glut? Mediocre middle infielders with a AAAA to utility infield ceiling (low-ceiling fourth OFer's would be a very close 2nd).

[RedEye]

The biggest glut? Mediocre middle infielders with a AAAA to utility infield ceiling (low-ceiling fourth OFer's would be a very close 2nd).

This is the case for a lot of teams, is it not?

[corkedbat]

This is the case for a lot of teams, is it not?

To one extent or another, but the Reds seem to consciously thrive at it.

[dougdirt]

To one extent or another, but the Reds seem to consciously thrive at it.

It just seems that way because they are the only team you know their 6-40th prospects.

[Drugs Delaney]

It does seem like it has been a long time since the Reds used their first pick on a big power guy.

There is a logical explanation though as 1B and RF, 2 of the 3 traditional big power spots, are in good shape long term. It would be great to add a 3rd long term guy with a power hitting LF.

[Benihana]

It does seem like it has been a long time since the Reds used their first pick on a big power guy.

There is a logical explanation though as 1B and RF, 2 of the 3 traditional big power spots, are in good shape long term. It would be great to add a 3rd long term guy with a power hitting LF.

Jesse Winker says hi

[lollipopcurve]

Neither guy has done anything in their pro career because between them they have like 6 games played.

Ervin vs Travieso is an interesting case at this precise moment. Ervin was MVP of the Cape Cod League. I don't think Travieso can top that with anything he's done in pro ball. Now, if he goes out and has a dominating couple outings in Dayton, then he moves ahead of Ervin. Could easily go either way by the end of the year, as 2013 is their first true test. There has been talk of Ervin having an ankle injury -- anybody know if that is still hampering him?

[Benihana]

Ervin vs Travieso is an interesting case at this precise moment. Ervin was MVP of the Cape Cod League. I don't think Travieso can top that with anything he's done in pro ball. Now, if he goes out and has a dominating couple outings in Dayton, then he moves ahead of Ervin. Could easily go either way by the end of the year, as 2013 is their first true test. There has been talk of Ervin having an ankle injury -- anybody know if that is still hampering him?

Agree with this. Just think - would Travieso be the MVP of the Cape Cod League if he played in it this summer? I don't think so.

Remember, Ervin is only 18 months older than Travieso. IMO, the two are very close, and you could easily argue either over the other. I'd give a slight edge to Ervin at this point if I had to draw a list, but it's really just semantics right now. Let's see how the two perform the rest of this year.

Interesting that this is the first time Yorman Rodriguez has fallen off the list completely. Not giving up on the guy by any means as he only turns 21 this year, but he can no longer be carried by his tools and pedigree alone. He has to perform, and with a career OPS of .688 including .705 this year in Bakersfield, he has yet to do so at the professional level. Other notable names not on the list include Ryan LaMarre, Juan Duran, Kyle Waldrop, and Ryan Wright - all of whom are OPSing around the .650 level at their respective levels, and none of whom project to be major league starters, if they even make it at all, going forward.