The Cincinnati Reds have made three additions to their 60-man player pool today this afternoon. The team announced that they have added left-handed pitcher Brandon Finnegan, outfielder TJ Friedl, and infielder Rece Hinds to the player pool and assigned all three of them to the alternate roster at Prasco Park.
Brandon Finnegan hasn’t been seen in the Major Leagues since May 6th of 2018. The lefty missed most of the 2017 season, making just four starts and throwing 13.0 innings with 13 walk and 16 strikeouts. When he returned in 2018 he simply wasn’t the same as he once had been. He made five starts for Cincinnati, spanning 20.2 innings with a 7.40 ERA and more walks, 15, than strikeouts, 14. His velocity was down, and when he headed back to Triple-A it was more of the same. He made nine starts and 19 relief appearances for the Louisville Bats and posted a 7.05 ERA in 67.2 innings with 40 walks, 90 hits allowed, and 57 strikeouts.
In 2019 the Reds worked with Finnegan much of the regular season away from the field trying to help get him back to where he was. He returned to the mound in games in late July last season with Double-A Chattanooga and had mixed results. He had two horrific outings that led to four earned runs in each outing and just 0.1 innings pitched in each – and both also included two walks. In his other 11 games he threw 14.1 innings with eight walks, 17 strikeouts, and had an ERA of 1.88. But when we include those two outings his ERA jumped to 6.60 in his 15.0 innings pitched at Double-A last season. It’s worth noting, though, that his velocity was back to 92-95 MPH during that time frame.
Outfielder TJ Friedl, like Brandon Finnegan, spent his year last season in Double-A Chattanooga. Friedl saw his season come to an end early as an ankle injury required surgery after just 65 games played. The now 24-year-old has a career .277/.369/.412 line. He’s got plus speed and can play all three outfield spots if needed.
It’s the third add that is a lot more in the “let’s get this guy some development time”. Rece Hinds was the Reds 2nd round pick in the 2019 draft. He played in three games before he went on the injured list for the rest of the season. The 19-year-old has some of, if not the best raw power in the entire organization. Where he winds up on the defensive spectrum is still up in the air – drafted out of high school where he played shortstop, the corner infield spots may ultimately be where he winds up depending on how much he fills out.
This could get very interesting. I see why you add Finnegan. Lefty/hopefully healthy/could help the pen. People forget he pitched on W/S. The other two?? Yes, maybe for developing. Maybe trade bait. Don’t players have to be on the 60 to trade them. I think they are covering all angles for trades etc. As usual, I could be wrong
Players do have to be on the 60-man to be traded. But if that’s what you’re doing, you announce the trade as it happens with the roster move. At least that’s what would make sense if you were adding someone for the sole purpose of trading them.
Rece Hinds has the potential to be a beast.
With this year’s draftee, Mac Wainwright, Right behind him. Two good, powerful but raw bats with big, RF arms (my prediction for Hinds as well as Wainwright).
I would agree with that. It still could be a little of both. Development/trade bait.
Doug, you do such a great job with redsminorleagues.com. Your “list” of top prospects are as good as they get. Maybe you could use the 30 players at Prasco as a list of what the Reds hierarchy think are the 30 best/closest to MLB. I know they are exceptions. Just seems like they are telling us this, or preparing to trade guys.
And Doug, you made a very good point. The rules don’t matter. If a team is going to trade a “low-level” prospect. The team just adds them to the 60 then trades them. I think maybe the only two things a tram can’t do is. 1. Trade a player for cash. 2. Trade a player for a player to be named later. Maybe they can do both of those?? Lol. Why have rules?
You can trade a player for cash. The Reds already did just that this year. PTBNL, though, can’t happen.