A Minor Review of 2017: Cincinnati Reds

The Graduate: Amir Garrett, LHP: Coming off of a strong 2016 season, Garrett positioned himself well to pitch some big innings for the Reds in 2017. He ended up throwing 70.2 innings but his ERA of 7.39 was down right ugly. He was hittable (9.42 H/9) and walked a lot of batters (5.09 BB/9), which is a terrible combination. Worse yet, he allowed 23 homers — good for an ugly 2.93 HR/9 (the worst rate in the Majors for pitchers with more than 50 innings pitched). Garrett, 25, will have to focus on improved command and control if he’s going to get another shot at starting for the Reds. If he can’t, though, his fastball-changeup combo could be enough to be an impact reliever.

First Taste of The Show: Tyler Mahle, RHP: The Reds’ starting rotation was a bit of a dog’s breakfast in 2017 so they’ll be looking for some stability in 2018. Mahle got his feet wet with four starts and performed well after also pitching in double-A and triple-A. He works in the low-90s (but can hit the mid-90s) and should have four average or better offerings. The 23-year-old has the stuff to be an innings-eating, mid-rotation starter. Look for him to pitch some key innings for the Reds in 2018 — especially if he continues to excel at keeping the ball in the park.

The Stud: Nick Senzel, 3B: The Reds used their second overall pick in 2016 to take perhaps the top bat in the draft with Senzel. He reached double-A in his first full season and combined to hit .321. He slugged just 14 homers but the 40 doubles hint at untapped raw power potential. His strong arm and excellent defence give him a good shot at impacting the game on both sides of the ball. Senzel, 22, has a good chance at opening 2018 in triple-A and he could see The Show by mid-season. He could be the next Scott Rolen.

The Draft Pick: Hunter Greene, RHP: Picking second overall again in the 2017 draft, it was clear that the Reds would get a star-caliber player. What they got was the best arm in the draft. Capable of hitting triple digits as an 18-year-old, Greene was brought along slowly and pitched just 4.1 innings after turning pro. A two-way player in high school, he was allowed to hit in pro ball, too, but had just 30 plate appearances and should focus solely on pitching in 2018 when he could move up to low-A ball. There’s a decent chance, though, that he’ll start the year in extended spring training before making the leap to full-season ball. He has an impact ceiling but he’s a long way from realizing it.

The Riser: Taylor Trammell, OF: I highlighted Trammell as the Reds’ sleeper during the 2016 season review and he broke out even bigger than I expected. He impacts the game in so many ways. His most developed tool right now is his speed — he stole 41 bases in 53 tries — and it helps him compensate for mistakes in center field. He also has a great eye (which is perfect for someone with stolen base acumen) and walked 71 times in 129 games. He also has raw power developing; he hit just 13 homers but had 47 extra base hits in total. Trammell, 20, should eventually hit for a consistent average once he learns to trim the strikeouts. He’ll move up to high-A ball in 2018 and could see double-A by the end of the year.

The Sleeper: Jose Siri, OF: Siri is an ultra-toolsy player that has a chance to develop and all-star ceiling. He has both plus raw power and plus speed, which saw him slug 24 homers and steal 46 bases in low-A ball. He even added 11 triples. The down side to Siri is that his approach at the plate needs a fair bit of work. He walked just 33 times and went down swinging 130 times in 126 games. The 22-year-old outfielder shows a very strong arm and could develop into a plus right-fielder. He should follow Taylor Trammell up to high-A ball in 2018.