Cincinnati Reds Top-15 Prospects of 2010, No’s 6 – 15

ALSO SEE – Reds Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

Grades are based on a prospect’s projected value over the course of his career and how likely it is that prospect will fulfill his projected value. Various factors are accounted for including upside, red flags, actual performance, and closeness to the majors. See the 2010 Prospect Primer for more information as it relates to prospect grading and philosophy.

Hitters must have 100 or fewer Major League ABs to qualify for this list. Starting pitchers must have 50 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Relief pitchers must have 25 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Ages are listed as of May 1st, 2010. Levels are based on the highest level in which a prospect played in 2009. All grades are subject to change based on any new information I receive before the season starts.

If you need to reach me in any way, please contact me via e-mail or post a comment at the bottom of the page and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. The first two prospects are available for everybody to read.

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Player Grades
Contact – 40 Now | 50 Future
Power – 65 | 70
Discipline – 35 | 40
Speed – 35 | 30
Defense – 40 | 45
Arm – 70 | 70
Instincts – 40 | 45
ETA – 2010
Final Grade – B-

You can get a more in-depth look at Juan Francisco by clicking here or by clicking here.

One of the harder prospects to project because he looks like a bonified All Star one day and a guy who wouldn’t succeed in A-ball the next.

Francisco got off to a miserable start last year, struggling in both April and May. But he really got rolling in June and July. Once August hit, Francisco was white hot. He carried his success over to Triple-A and subsequently to the Majors.

Whether he’s going well or really struggling, he can — and tries to — hit everything you throw at him. Francisco has an ability to hit balls out of the ball park that have no business leaving the park. He still swings wildly, but he’s able to make hard contact because of his excellent hand-eye coordination. You wouldn’t know it by his K:BB components but he can be a tough out for pitchers simply because he’s able foul off/spoil good pitchers’ pitches, especially when he’s seeing the ball well.

Of course, the issue Francisco has is that he strikes out a ton and barely walks. It’s hard to find a player with a similar K:BB ratio who has gone on to have sustained success at the Major League level. The name Pablo Sandoval has been mentioned as a comparison for Francisco, but the difference is that Sandoval was a high contact hitter in the minors and showed more flashes of patience than Francisco has so far.

Francisco — despite a cannon for an arm — will likely have to move off of third base. In Spring Training, Francisco has been playing a little bit of left field though I’m not sure he’ll have enough range for the position.

Best Case Outcome – He stays at third base, where he is a below average defender, but hits for enough of an average to maintain an adequate OBP as well as hits for lots of power

More Likely Outcome – An extra bat off the bench, somebody you can play against right handed pitchers to give your line-up a major power boost even as he drags down your team’s OBP

Player Grades
Fastball – 50 Now | 50/55 Future
Cutter – 50 | 50/55
Curveball – 50 | 50
Change-Up – 60 | 60
Control – 50 | 55
Command – 45 | 50
Pitchability – 50 | 55
ETA – 2010
Final Grade – B-

You can read my report on Travis Wood by clicking here.

Wood is currently vying for the 5th spot in Cincinnati’s rotation and he seems to be the favorite to land the job. Aroldis Chapman might deserve it the most based on how he’s pitched in Spring Training, but I assume the team doesn’t want to put the pressure of starting his pro career at the Major League level onto Chapman and instead allow him to get comfortable in the Minors first.

Best Case Outcome – Back of the rotation starter

More Likely Outcome – I think he’s more likely to eventually be used out of the bullpen

Brief Rundown on Prospects 8 – 15

8. Matt Maloney | LHP | Grade – C+/B- – He’s MLB-ready now, but his upside is limited to being a No. 5 starter or a member of the bullpen

9. Brad Boxberger | RHP | Grade – C – Good stuff, inconsistent control…profiles best out of the bullpen

10. Yorman Rodriguez | CF | Grade – C+ – Very toolsy, very raw…normally wouldn’t rate him this high, but none of the “safer” prospects list below can match the value of Rodriguez’ upside. Rumor has it that the Reds are planning to start Rodriguez in Single-A Dayton, according to Doug Gray. If true, that’s an aggressive assignment for the 17 y/o outfielder and it will be interesting to see if he can handle it and hold his own.

11. Josh Fellhauer | OF | Grade – C+ – Great defensive corner outfielder, but he’s a tweener…his value would be higher if I knew for sure whether he could hold down center field

12. Donnie Joseph | LHP | Grade – C+ – Power arm out of the bullpen racks up the strikeouts and could move quickly

13. Zack Cozart | SS | Grade – C/C+ – Not really sold on the bat, but he’s got a good glove and should be an OK placeholder until some of Cincinnati’s younger, more talented shortstops work their way up the organization ladder

14. Billy Hamilton | SS | Grade – C – Very talented, but very raw…showed a lot of defensive promise in his debut season, but he needs to get stronger and add weight

15. Neftali Soto | 3b | Grade – C – One of the most disappointing prospects for me personally last year, I’m not giving up on Soto entirely, but he really has to show something this year

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HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) – Chris Valaika (UTI) | Brian Pearl (RHP) | J.C. Sulbaran (RHP) | Juan Silva (CF) | Henry Rodriguez (SS) | Humberto Valor (SS) | Enerio Del Rosario (RHP) | Drew Sutton (UTI) | Juan Duran (OF) | Logan Ondrusek (LHP) | Kyle Lotzkar (RHP) | Danny Dorn (OF) | Cody Puckett (2b) | Mace Thurman (LHP) | Justin Walker (LHP) | Mark Fleury (C) | Byron Wiley (RF) | Miguel Rojas (SS) | Devin Mesoraco (C) | Darryl Thompson (RHP) | Daniel Corcino (RHP) | Josh Ravin (RHP) | Matt Klinker (RHP) | Mariekson Gregorius (SS) | Alexis Oliveras (CF) | Ezequiel Infante (LHP) | Tucker Barnhart (C)

This organization has a lot of sleepers and high upside/high risk talent coming through its system at the lower levels and it will be interesting to see how they develop.

ALSO SEE – Reds Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

UP NEXT – Houston Astros Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

Other References and Resources Used for This Article – First Inning, Minor League Splits, and Reds Minor Leagues