Bernie Pleskoff, former Major League Baseball scout and now writer has released his Top 32 Prospect list. Why we chose to go to 32 of all numbers, I do not know. But, the Cincinnati Reds landed two players in his Top 20.
2016 1st round pick for the Reds, Nick Senzel, came in at #7 on the list. Here’s what Pleskoff has to say about the third baseman:
He has tremendous power in a compact frame with broad shoulders and a robust chest. Senzel combines strength with a plus hitting tool that leads to a solid batting average. (cut) He is an All Star quality player, and one that could put up huge home run numbers on an annual basis once his time has come.
There’s a little more at the link on Nick Senzel if you are interested in the rest. The plan for Senzel as he heads into spring training appears to be to get him work at both third base and second base. With Eugenio Suarez manning third, Senzel sliding to second base where he spent time in college, could be the opening needed to get both into the same lineup at some point in the future.
Hunter Greene, the 2017 1st round pick for the Reds was the next player on the list for Cincinnati. The right handed pitcher was called a unique talent by Pleskoff in his write up. Here are some other things he has to say:
Greene has a live arm with the ability to reach 100 miles per hour on his fastball. (cut) His repertoire includes a slider and a change up that promise to get even better as he matures and gains experience. The Reds have a top, top prospect in Hunter Greene and one that can help brighten their franchise.
The plan for Hunter Greene sounds like it’s going to be with the Dayton Dragons in 2018. The real question is, will they send him out to Dayton in April? Or will the team keep him back in Arizona until it warms up a little more in the Midwest League? It would make sense to keep Greene back in Arizona to both keep him from pitching in 30° and 40° weather, as well as having a better control over how many innings he’ll pitch during the year without shutting him down and skipping him later in the year. He will be just 18-years-old next season, so there’s no reason to think he should be pitching a full 125.0 innings that would be there for a full Midwest League season.
Among the “others I am watching with interest” group beyond the Top 32 players is a third Red: Jesse Winker. The Cincinnati outfielder was on the list of 20 players that followed.