In this week’s installment of “This Week on the Farm”, I’d like to take a quick peek forward to next season to see what the Reds top two farm clubs rosters might look like opening day. The rosters of these two farm clubs will contain the players that have the best chance of helping out at the Major League level next season.
Just to level set, let’s first see what the Reds roster might look like opening day next season with what they have right now minus free agent departures.
Reds
C Mesoraco
1B Votto
2B Phillips
3B Frazier
SS Suarez
LF Duvall
CF Hamilton
RF Bruce
C Barnhart
IF DeJesus
IF Cozart
OF Rodriguez
OF Holt
SP Bailey
SP DeSclafani
SP Iglesias
SP Lorenzen
SP Lamb
RP Chapman
RP Hoover
RP Cingrani
RP Diaz
RP Matheus
RP Villarreal
RP LeCure
There’s lots to discuss here, but that’s not the focus of this discussion. There will be some players above moved over the winter and some major/minor league free agents added to the mix. Basically, that’s a list of 25 names who currently would be in the running for Major League jobs next spring who will not be included on the AAA and/or AA rosters below.
AAA Louisville Bats
I’m going to stick to prospects and fringe prospects for the rosters. I won’t include any Irving Falu’s, Hernan Iribarren’s, Marquez Smith’s, or Ray Chang’s on the rosters. I’m sure they will in fact either bring some of them back or back fill them with other older minor league free agents, but I’m mostly sticking to the younger players here who might be on these rosters on opening day next year.
Bats
C Cabrera
1B Waldrop
2B Vincej
3B Mejias-Brean
SS Perez
LF Duran
CF LaMarre
RF Winker
C Skipworth
IF Negron
IF Wright
OF Selsky
OF Smith
SP Stephenson
SP Moscot
SP Finnegan
SP Reed
SP Holmberg
RP Contreras
RP Weiss
RP Hayes
RP S Johnson
RP Adleman
RP Sampson
RP Smith
Position player wise, the spotlight will be on Winker, Mejias-Brean, and Duran to see how they perform at AAA after their promotions. Waldrop will be in a make or break type year, as he will need to prove he can make the adjustments and perform at AAA. Also, will be interesting to see if Selsky comes back healthy and if he can maintain his strong showing this year.
On the hill, we will want to see Stephenson and Moscot come back healthy and strong at AAA. Finnegan will most likely need to prove he can be successful as a starter soon next year or be sent to the pen full time. All eyes on Reed and Weiss to see if they can continue to prosper at the AAA level.
AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos
The Blue Wahoos will again have a strong stable of prospects to follow next season.
Blue Wahoos
C Hudson
1B Buckley
2B Blandino
3B Sparks
SS Daal
LF Elizalde
CF Arias
RF Ervin
C Wallach
IF Soto
IF Diaz
OF Gelalich
OF Amaral
SP Garrett
SP Travieso
SP Mella
SP Romano
SP Astin
RP McMyne
RP Klimesh
RP Shackleford
RP J Johnson
RP Somsen
RP Peralta
RP Wright
The prospects to watch here will be on Blandino, Ervin, Sparks, and Elizalde to if they continue to perform at AA. Blandino and Ervin have the best chances for being moved up quickly if they are playing well.
The entire starting rotation here will be loaded with prospects as well. Garrett and Travieso could be fast movers if they start out strong.