Top 2023 prospects for the Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds didn’t have a very good run in the 2022 season, leaving themselves with quite a lot of work to do. They ended the season with a 62-100 record, which is only the second time in franchise history that they ended up with triple digit losses. The last time they did it they ended up 61-101 in 1972. But for a franchise that has a fairly solid history with 5 World Series wins, including back to back wins in 1975 and 1976, their recent form will not be a welcome sight for Reds fans.

While it’s very true, they have a lot of work to do in the off season with trades and managing their wage structure etc. There is still the chance that they could find a diamond in the rough amongst the players they already have in their ranks, or among their minor league affiliates. So today we’re going to be taking a look at their top prospects for the upcoming 2023 season. Perhaps some of these names will make it big for the Reds and put their name on the map.

First, I want to talk about 21 year old, 6’5, 200lbs Elly De La Cruz. Elly has a lot of tools at his disposal and there is a lot to like about him. He has good speed allowing him to steal bases pretty well, his power as a hitter is kinda nuts with a 491 foot home run under his belt. He’s a switch hitter also which is a huge strength. Right now as a prospect there aren’t many players in the league who come close to him. If he had to work on anything, it could be his patience. Learning when he should and shouldn’t be going for certain pitches as his strikeout rate isn’t great. But with the right guidance that probably won’t be a huge problem moving forward. There’s a lot to like here and the Reds should be very excited to watch this man in action!

Next I want to take a look at the right handed pitcher, 19 years old, 6’1 and 190 lbs, Chase Petty. At only 19 years old, Chase is currently one of the youngest pitchers in all of A-Ball. He had a pretty good high ground ball rate and has accumulated plenty of strikeouts as well as having a solid walk rate too. He posted an ERA of 3.48 in the 2022 season for Daytona & Dayton in 25 games, not bad at all really, quite an interesting prospect!

Finally I’d like to look at 19 year old, 6’0, 175 lbs shortstop, Edwin Arroyo. As an 18 year old he hit .293/.366/.480 with 27 steals on his three stops on the season. All this while being a defensive first player allows for the fans to get excited about the potential of this shortstop. He performed quite well in the California league overall and honestly, at just 19 years old he still has a lot of growing to do. 

Now we’ve taken a look at some of the prospects in the Cincinnati Reds ranks, it’s time to take a look at what the experts think for this upcoming season. Who is going to make it all the way and take home the World Series? The obvious place to start is with the Reds. UNFORTUNATELY the Reds find themselves way back in the pecking order for a World Series win, after last season I wouldn’t particularly expect anything different. The Reds are tied as the 4th least likely team to win the World Series with the Kansas City Royals with +15000 odds, for reference, that would return $755 from a $5 stake. Yikes.

While we’re here we may as well take a look at some of the other teams in the league, and check out who the favourites are this season. With sports betting in Ohio finally being made legal now, it makes sense to start with the other Ohio based franchise, the Cleveland Guardians, who find themselves sitting sort of in the middle of the pack on +3000, the same as the Boston Red Sox. This would return $155 from a $5 stake, but who are the favourites moving into the 2023 season?

Well, last seasons World Series winners the Houston Astros top the bill, tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers on +600, so if you think the Astros have what it takes to go back to back, you could see a $35 return on a $5 stake. Then you have the New York Mets at +700, a $40 return from $5 and the New York Yankees at +800 returning $45 from $5. To round out the top 5 we have a tie at +900 between the Atlanta Braves and the Toronto Blue Jays, a $5 stake on either of these teams would see a $50 return. 

Now, Reds fans, how are we feeling for the upcoming season? Have the top brass done enough so far to make it to the playoffs this season? I think the goal first and foremost before we even start to consider making the playoffs, should be to avoid ever having a triple digit losses season again. Once you stamp that out, you know you’re on the right path at least. But how many of the players we’ve mentioned today do we think will make it big this season? How many are seriously going to be making a name for themselves and establishing themselves as a huge part of this roster?

Regardless how many of them hit the ground running, the upcoming 2023 season will be a long old slog for the Reds coming off the back of the miserable 2022 season. This will be a true test of the mentality of the franchise. If they can bounce back and show the fans they’re working on the right places, then there’s a lot to look forward to. But nobody truly knows what will happen and there is only one way to find out. There is a lot of baseball to look forward to this year, here’s hoping for an exciting season!