Top Prospect
Billy Hamilton - The 22 year old speedster is not only the best prospect in the Reds system, but is also one of the best prospects in all of baseball. Hamilton is one of the most talked about minor leaguers in recent memory due to his unbelievable speed and excellent base running ability. In 132 games last season, he stole 165 bases which led many to believe a big league call up was on the horizon. Hamilton is not only a one trick pony however, as he had an excellent OBP of .398, something many speed guys seem to have difficulty with (see: Juan Pierre & Chone Figgins). He's expected to lead off in Triple A as he's continuing to develop in CF. Based off of his speed and plate discipline alone, Hamilton has the potential to become a perennial all star.
Top Pitcher
Tony Cingrani - The 23 year old lefty has turned into a great surprise for the Reds. While he doesn't have elite stuff, Cingrani has the ceiling of a middle of the rotation starter, but should easily break into the bullpen as the season goes on. His fastball has good action on it as it averages in the low 90s while his change up and curve could use a little more work on it. Assuming his secondary pitches become more refined, the southpaw should definitely become a prominent member of the Cincinnati staff.
Bronze Medal
Nick Travieso - Due to the fact that the Reds lack top end pitching talent, I'm going to overrate Travieso as the system's third best prospect. The 18 year old hasn't been able to show his stuff in the minor leagues, but his natural raw ability should propel him into becoming a low level minor league star. The 19 year old righty already has a fastball that could develop into a plus-plus pitch as he already hits 98 mph with great command. His power slider/cutter has plus potential while his changeup could develop into a legitimate pitch as well due to his excellent arm action on his 2 power pitches. Travieso should at the very least develop into a high leverage reliever, and if his secondary pitches develop, he could become a 2 or 3 starter.
-Rich Douglas
No comments:
Post a Comment