2021 AA Chattanooga Roster posted

[JaxRed]

I got to tell you, other than the names we knew (Greene, Lodolo, Garcia), this roster didn't excite me much

[Bourgeois Zee]

The prospects are almost entirely underwhelming (beyond Garcia, Greene, and Lodolo). The rest of the team is made up almost entirely of just-a-guys who should put up decent numbers but won't be on many prospect lists (unless those lists go 50 deep).

Catcher will be manned mainly by Jay Schuyler, I'm guessing. He's hit okay for a couple of seasons after being a 7th round draft pick. Nothing special. (You'll hear that a lot.) Chuckie Robinson, a Rule 5 pick out of Houston's system is probably his backup (and a part-time starter if Schuyler goes to the OF or 1B. You'll hear this a lot-- Robinson's old for the level (26). He has some pop but a questionable hit tool. Kolozsvary is a defensive-first (last and only) guy.

1B is probably going to be Cuban Yoel Yanqui's to begin with, I think. He has a good hit tool, but hasn't shown much power so far in his career. He's another guy who's old for AA (25). Maybe he developed some pop in the year away from organized ball? If it's not Yanqui at 1B, it'll be Wilson Garcia. He's a big-bodied (emphasis on BIG) DH-type who's 27. Pretty sure he'll mash-- Dude's hit 20+ HR two pro seasons in a row in fairly limited ABs-- but Garcia's limited to an offense-only spot. (Too bad he couldn't stick at catcher.) He'll almost assuredly be the big bopper on offense.

2B will probably rotate between polar opposite Leonardo Rivas and Robbie Tenerowicz. Rivas was, IIRC, the PTBNL in the Iglesias deal with the Angels. He's a no-hit, good-glove guy who plays up the middle. Tenerowicz is a free-swinging Derek Dietrich clone. I like his approach, but he's also (wait for it...) old for the league.

SS is Jose Garcia's. He'll get all the reps he needs, with Rivas as his caddy.

That leaves Alejo Lopez for 3B. He's like Yanqui, in that he has a nice hit tool but no real power.

The OF has four guys for three spots. Narciso Crook played decently in AAA in 2019 (800+ OPS), so he's slumming it in Chattanooga. If Wilson Garcia isn't the Lookouts' best hitter, Crook should be. He can play either OF corner and spots in CF. I expect he'll do most of his damage in RF. I also expect he'll be moved to AAA at the halfway point of the season at the latest.

Leonardo Cedrola is the third all hit tool, no power guy in the starting lineup. He does have very good speed. But with no pop, the best Reds' fans could hope for is a fifth OF type. TJ Hopkins might also play CF. This is a three-level jump for the former Gamecock, so he's probably shown something promising. Hopkins showed pretty well with some pop and some speed in his 2019 Billings debut. He's 24, so he might actually be the one guy who on track age-wise as a prospect.

Drew Mount is probably going to get most of the ABs in LF. He's got some pop and hit well in the Independent League (in a super small sample) in 2020. He's... okay, I guess.

And that pretty much sums up the entire offense in Chattanooga. They'll probably be somewhere near league average and maybe even above average as a team, but who are the actual prospects? Garcia, for sure. Hopkins may be a late riser. Crook has some interesting numbers, but it's obvious Reds' brass don't think all that highly of him-- otherwise, he'd be in AAA.

As for the pitching, Greene and Lodolo are going to be fun to watch (and the highlight of the season, I suspect). It's interesting that they've made Pidich a starter. He's been a fairly effective relief arm-- I wonder if he found some heat in an arm that used to be comfortable in the low 90s? Curlis has some decent numbers. Wynne is nearly 30 and was a FA signing after not being drafted, but it's obvious the Reds like him. He walks no one.

Reiver San Martin as a relief arm is interesting. He's been a starter. As a lefty with good control, he might put up great numbers, but his fastball is lacking. (Or at least has been.) Ghyzel, Moreta, and Olson are all big-time arms-- they're worth watching in the pen. So too is Howard, if only because it'll be fascinating to see if he can come all the way back. (I'm rooting like hell for him.) Alexis Diaz is making the jump from Dayton-- Cincinnati obviously likes his arm. Byrne's a former relatively high draft pick out of Florida. Basically, the entire bullpen is filled with interesting arms that'll probably put up good numbers but not be much in terms of prospects.

I suspect Chattanooga will be competitive, but that's about it. Still, three of the Reds' five top prospects on one advanced minor league team is worth the interest.

[Ron Madden]

Kyle Boddy
@drivelinebases
Some Fire arms on this staff. Don’t miss RHR Ryan Olson making his comeback...