The Cincinnati Reds are going to have six prospects play in the Arizona Fall League this year. And they are also going to be playing for a manager from the organization, too. Julio Morillo, who has managed at several levels for the Reds in years past after his playing career came to an end (which was also with the Reds), will serve as the Peoria Javelinas’ manager in 2025. This season Morillo was a coach with the Louisville Bats. Three of the players from Cincinnati’s organization are among their Top 15 prospects, and two of them – Alfredo Duno and Cam Collier – are among their Top 10. Those two will be joined be Leo Balcazar, Johnathan Harmon, Luke Hayden, and Trevor Kuncl.
Alfredo Duno, the Reds #1 prospect, will headline the group from the Reds to play for the Javelinas. The 19-year-old catcher from Venezuela had a huge season for the Daytona Tortugas in 2025. He led the Florida State League in nearly every offensive category except batting average and steals. Duno finished second in average in the league. He should easily win the MVP of the league when they name the award winners. You can see his career stats here.
Cam Collier, Cincinnati’s #7 rated prospect, is going to be looking to make up for some lost time in 2025. The corner infielder was playing first base for the Reds this spring when he suffered a thumb injury that required surgery. He would miss the start of the season and after rehabbing in the lower minor leagues he joined Chattanooga in the middle of June. The 20-year-old has spent his time there ever since, playing in 71 games. He’s battled consistency in his return, going through a 4-52 slump last month before turning things around over the last three weeks where he’s hitting .351. You can see his career stats here.
Shortstop Leo Balcazar has spent his season at two different levels. In the first half with Dayton he was at shortstop nearly every day and showed off solid power for the Dragons while hitting .262/.433/.413. During the second half the Reds #15 prospect moved up to Double-A Chattanooga, but with the Lookouts much of his time has been spent at second base with Edwin Arroyo manning shortstop most nights. At the plate things have been quite different in Double-A as he’s only had six extra-base hits in 47 games, but the 21-year-old has walked more than he’s struck out at the level, too. You can see his career stats here.
Starting pitcher Johnathan Harmon only made five starts for Dayton this season. He pitched six innings out in Arizona on rehab before joining the Dragons in August. Harmon underwent Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2024, but has a 1.59 ERA in his return in his limited action for Dayton. The righty will get a chance to extend his season, so to speak, by picking up a little more time on the mound now that the season is over for the Dragons. You can see his career stats here.
Luke Hayden also pitched for Dayton this year. Unlike Harmon, though, Hayden didn’t miss any games and wound up making 24 starts for the Dragons in 2025 and throwing 101.1 innings with a 4.09 ERA. The right-hander had some struggled throwing strikes as the season went along, walking 72 batters on the season and hitting another seven guys while striking out 79. He’s got quality stuff but needs to find some more consistency. In Arizona even the starters don’t tend to have longer outings, so perhaps he can find a groove in shorter outings. You can see his career stats here.
Trevor Kuncl will be the lone reliever that Cincinnati is sending to pitch for Peoria. A free agent signing in October of 2024 after pitching in the Mexican Winter League with Mexicalli, the now 26-year-old right-hander has been dominant for Double-A Chattanooga. He’s picked up 20 saves this season and has a 2.25 ERA in 45 games. Kuncl, who had never pitched in a minor league game until this season, has thrown 48.0 innings this season and allowed just two home runs, walked 17, and struck out 49. You can see his career stats here.
The Arizona Fall League begins on October 6th and will run through November 15th when the championship game will be played. The annual Fall Stars game, which is more of a prospect showcase than an “all-star” like game, will be played on November 9th and will be on MLB Network.
LOVE that Duno was included. I would think with a standout performance in AZ that he could start 2026 in AA. A rare prospect where aggressive promotion seems to make sense.
Doug , please, May you tell us what is the Kuncl’s offering and velo during this season? Could he be considered to get a shot in the big leagues?
There is Driveline’s X video on him. From what I took from it he has a very pedestrian fastball and the real reason for his success of late is the development of a sweeper. It is a great story if it goes on. Most of the pitchers the Reds have sent to AFL have made it to the big leagues, even if not with the Reds. (Javien Sandridge this year with Yankees)
I don’t know when you saw that video – but Kuncl throws mid-90s and has been up to 98 this year on more than a few occasions.
I watched a lot of the AFL last winter — yeah, that lack of a life — and if they put any effort into it at all, they could monetize it and make it interesting. But I get it … MLB is broke. Either way, it’s nice when we get introduced to players from other organizations. More than a few of them will be in the Majors next year.
I’m definitely surprised that the Reds are sending a 19 year old catcher who hasn’t played above Low A to the AFL. Given their conservative approach to prospect promotion over the last few years especially with guys getting more than a full season worth of at bats at levels and succeeding. Thier promotion habits definitely seem to lean more into feel and coach feedback than any raw stats, which I would agree is the way to go.
I like that they are sending Balcazar there, he has been very consistent and is still fairly young that I think a breakthrough is still possible. Under rated defender imo too, can handle SS just fine and ported over to 2B with no issues when he started playing with Arroyo. I expect we see him back at SS with Arroyo in Louisville to start 2026.
Collier definitely needs to make up the at bats. The power still isn’t back after the thumb injury so I’ll look more for him cutting down his K rate and making good decisions at the plate. I think we start to see the power return more in the spring.
Kuncl seems like he is auditioning for a 40 man roster spot, because he is someone who seems like we could lose to a rebuilding team that is mining for gold in the Rule 5 draft after an excellent year in AA after being signed from independent ball. He’s a little older, but the stuff is real and he could play a part on the Reds next year.
Hayden the Reds seem to be higher on than what I think they should be. His raw stuff is pretty good, but his control is all over the place this year and he didn’t miss as many at bats as I would expect considering the raw stuff.
Harmon just needs to make up innings after TJS, but he has been very solid since his return. He could factor into a long relief role or a starting role somewhere in High A or AA next year. Depends on health I suppose. Seems like the Reds will have quite a few arms coming back from injury next year, including two TJS draft picks this year.
I think maybe they will focus on Duno’s defense in the AFL. I understand that much of the lure of the AFL is the opportunity to get high-end individual instruction from good coaches.
His defense is behind his offense, which is not necessarily a rap on his defense, and a catcher needs to be sufficient defensively to play at the MLB level.
What are the Rule 5 eligibility rules governing someone like Kuncl?
Unless I am misunderstanding a long-standing rule – he would be eligible for the Rule 5 draft as long as he’s under contract because he has previously reached free agency (he signed with the Texas Rangers before spring training in 2024 and was then released in late March).
I think the key thing here is whether he signed a 1-year deal with the Reds or a 2-year deal with the Reds. The 2-year deals for minor leaguers are not common, but they do happen every so often. I want to say it was two years ago the Reds were in a similar situation with Jayvien Sandridge. He had a good 2023 season and the Reds sent him to the AFL and he pitched well in his six games, striking out 13 with just 2 walks and one run in 6.1 innings. But he became a minor league free agent before the AFL season ended. The Reds could have kept him around despite his contract being up by adding him to the 40-man roster, but they opted not to use a spot on him and so he became a free agent and then signed with the Padres two weeks later. He reached the big leagues this summer with the Yankees (just one game, but still).
Have to wonder if maybe a similar situation isn’t present here. The Reds want to get a look at Kuncl to see if it better informs them on what they want to do before November 5th or 6th or whatever the minor league free agency date is this year.
I still think it was a bit odd Hayden was assigned to Hi-A to start the year and Holman just to A.
One thing I like about the Hayden assignment to the AFL is the Reds being willing to add innings when he is already at that “add 20-25 innings a year” threshold — He pitched 83 innings, combined, in his draft year (2024) and has 101 innings this year. They could have shut him down but they’ll conceivably add 10, 15, 20 (?) more. It’ll be interesting to see if he starts or relieves, too.
One other item. Hayden made all 24 of his scheduled starts this year. How often can you say that?
Hard to say what we have in him. With his raw stuff, the high BB is one thing but the pretty low K’s is concerning.
As Lt Buck Compton said on D-Day at Brecourt Manor, “We shall see!”
Duke I agree with you on Hayden, but, I do think he offers good value as a reliever as long as he can keep his walks down. Maybe they will just use him out of the pen in the fall.
I would have liked to see Austin Hendrick added to the AFL roster. He has made improvements at the AA level, but has only had about 300 ABs so far this year. Another 100 or so ABs against the level of competition in the AFL would be beneficial for his development.
Austin Hendrick is one of the nicest ball players I have ever met here in Chattanooga. I would have loved to see him in the AFL too.
Doug…any discussion about Lowder throwing in the AFL? Thanks
I might have missed it, but did anyone say he was pitching in the AFL? The only thing I saw was that he was going to start for Louisville this weekend.