My top prospect list

[Kc61]

This season was bound to be a struggle, if only because there was so little talent in the upper minors. (All of it had graduated already.)

Next year, there will be several interesting prospects in AA and several dotting the rest of the rosters on down. (AAA will still likely be a veritable wasteland until mid-season.)

Agree with this. The youth rebuild part of Reds development is going well. What they are hopefully learning is that it’s not enough. Has to be supplemented meaningfully with veterans. The youth part has had bumps in the road - to be expected - but so many of Reds good players have come through the system which is an achievement.

[mth123]

I'd say there are 6 candidates to be top 100 prospects and all should be in AA or AAA (or the big leagues and any or all could make their debut before 2025 ends). I'd rank them as follows:

1. Lowder - he's already a big leaguer and is having success
2. Burns - Should be in AA after a few starts in A+
3. Collier - He's stepped-up big time and is a legit middle of the order prospect (I was tempted to put him ahead of Burns)
4. Arroyo - A SS with a bat and a glove.
5. Stewart - Looks like a legit bat for an IF corner and has been playing second this year before his injury
6. Petty - Another young, high ceiling arm that took a big step forward in the second half

I'd say the top 3 are untouchable and the Reds may need to deal 2 of those bottom three to get what they need for the big leagues in 2025, If teams would take Marte or CES instead, I'd deal one of them and keep Stewart if possible. Petty/Arroyo plus some guys lower on the list (Jorge? Rodriguez? Moore?) would be what I'd go shopping with if money doesn't get it done.

[RustyJ]

Can someone explain the Petty arc to me? He successfully reinvented himself last year as a low 90s pitchability guy in Dayton. Then he comes into camp this spring throwing high 90s and has everyone drooling about a breakout. The he goes out and backpedals with a pretty forgettable season, albeit one level up.

Did the velocity disappear when the workload ramped up in season? Did he lose too much of what made him special last year in pursuit of the velocity? Who is this enigma of Chase Petty?

[JCM11]

Can someone explain the Petty arc to me? He successfully reinvented himself last year as a low 90s pitchability guy in Dayton. Then he comes into camp this spring throwing high 90s and has everyone drooling about a breakout. The he goes out and backpedals with a pretty forgettable season, albeit one level up.

Did the velocity disappear when the workload ramped up in season? Did he lose too much of what made him special last year in pursuit of the velocity? Who is this enigma of Chase Petty?

He's a 21 year old pitcher who hasn't thrown a ton of innings until this year. He's gaining experience and figuring things out on the fly. I would say Petty has responded nicely to the challenges this year and looks like a pretty good bet to be a solid MLB rotation piece at this point.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Can someone explain the Petty arc to me? He successfully reinvented himself last year as a low 90s pitchability guy in Dayton. Then he comes into camp this spring throwing high 90s and has everyone drooling about a breakout. The he goes out and backpedals with a pretty forgettable season, albeit one level up.

Did the velocity disappear when the workload ramped up in season? Did he lose too much of what made him special last year in pursuit of the velocity? Who is this enigma of Chase Petty?

I suspect it took him some time to work that new-found velocity into an actual pitching program. His April numbers were putrid-- four starts and 16 innings of 9.56 ERA baseball. After that, however, he managed quite well, with an ERA well into the threes across the last four months of the season. Too, he moved from AA to AAA at the end of the year.

That's not forgettable.

[texasdave]

Connor Phillips is a prospect, of sorts, who regained a little bit of his luster with last night's perfromance. 6 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 9 strike outs. He is scheduled to pitched Louisville's final game of the season on Sunday.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Connor Phillips is a prospect, of sorts, who regained a little bit of his luster with last night's perfromance. 6 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 9 strike outs. He is scheduled to pitched Louisville's final game of the season on Sunday.

Since he's come back from Arizona, Phillips has put up the following line:

- 21.2 IP
- 5 GS
- 20 H
- 24 K
- 10 BB
- 1.385 WHiP
- 2.49 ERA

Not sure where he might go in my end-of-season list, but he's put himself back in conversation, at least.

[RustyJ]

He's a 21 year old pitcher who hasn't thrown a ton of innings until this year. He's gaining experience and figuring things out on the fly. I would say Petty has responded nicely to the challenges this year and looks like a pretty good bet to be a solid MLB rotation piece at this point.

I’m not trying to drag the guy; just saying if was still a plus command/off speed guy and actually kicked up his fastball to 97+, we wouldn’t be digging around for silver linings.

Just not clear on what he’s been bringing to the mound scouting wise this year.

[Bourgeois Zee]

I’m not trying to drag the guy; just saying if was still a plus command/off speed guy and actually kicked up his fastball to 97+, we wouldn’t be digging around for silver linings.

Just not clear on what he’s been bringing to the mound scouting wise this year.

Bad April. Good rest of season. Very good second half. Super young.

Not much digging required, that.

[texasdave]

If you are looking for an under-the-radar prospect, you could do worse than going with David Lorduy. Baseball-reference lists the right-handed starter at a solid 6'0" and 198 lbs. The 20-year-old out of Sincelejo, Colombia flipped a switch halfway through the '23 season, and has been dominating ever since. His combined number since that point (DSL, ACL and Daytona) are: 25 G, 87.1 IP, 53 H, 18 BB, 93 K, 3 HR. He added 3 shutout innings in the playoffs this year. He made the ACL All-Star roster.

Our friend at redsminorleagues.com had this capsule synopsis:

David Lorduy Scouting Report
A reliever with good fastball velocity and a slider. The fastball could get into the mid-to-upper 90’s in the future, giving him a chance for two plus pitches down the line.

Mark that young man down as one to watch.