Taylor Sparks had a big day in Arizona on Wednesday. The Cincinnati Reds third base prospect hit two home runs in a Scottsdale win over Peoria. Both home runs were hit to left field. MLB Pipeline posted videos of both on twitter, which you can see below.
Home run #1:
Sparks fly!@Reds prospect Taylor Sparks rips OMG-worthy ? homer, his 2nd of the AFL season. Batting .326. Gameday: https://t.co/8mbyPOy5gR pic.twitter.com/NkbeS1u1eL
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 1, 2017
Home run #2
2? for Taylor! @Reds‘ Taylor Sparks launches 2nd solo homer of the game in @MLBazFallLeague action. Avg. up to .341. https://t.co/YFDYOOCmFM pic.twitter.com/xUxfWUwNLW
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 1, 2017
For Taylor Sparks, he’s now hitting .326/.385/.587 with three home runs. I’m not sure how the ballpark in Scottsdale plays, though in general the ball flies out in Arizona – but Sparks hit more home runs in the game yesterday than any other Scorpion has on the season. Perhaps it’s just a combination of players on this specific team, but they’ve got 10 combined home runs as a team, with Sparks having three of them. They’ve played in 19 total games.
Reds release several minor leaguers
Baseball America has up the latest minor league transactions. The Cincinnati Reds released six players last week.
- Alexander Perez RHP
- Yerry Santos RHP
- Gregory Reinoso LHP
- Gabriel Ovalle SS
- Alejandro Paulino SS
- Ermys Reyes SS
Perez, Santos, Reinoso, Paulino and Reyes all played in Arizona and or Billings this past season. Ovalle spent time in Dayton, Daytona and Louisville as a backup infielder throughout the 2017 season.
Major League free agency is now upon us. The first big deal that has gone down is that Justin Upton exercised his option for the next four seasons with the Angels and signed a 1-year extension beyond that with them. The Reds probably won’t be making any free agent moves nearly as exciting as this one, but they probably will make a signing or two.
If the Reds make any “splashes” this offseason, I think it will be in the trade market. They just haven’t ever really been a big player in free agency and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon. But, they have pieces to move in the minor leagues if they want to make a move to acquire a difference maker.