The Cincinnati Reds have acquired right handed pitcher Miguel Medrano from the Texas Rangers. Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer was the first to report the move. The recently turned 20-year-old was acquired in exchange for $350,000 of international bonus pool money. The Reds didn’t trade any actual money, but just the ability to spend that money on the market.
It’s an interesting move and one that I LOVE to see. Miguel Medrano has not pitched outside of the Dominican Summer League. He made just three appearances as an 18-year-old in 2016. Last season he was dominant in the league, pitching in 12 games (10 starts). He threw 59.0 innings with a 2.59 ERA, just seven walks and he struck out 61 batters. The numbers are very strong, but historically, numbers in the Dominican Summer League aren’t exactly predictive. The competition level is just so varied.
What I do love about this move, though, is that it involves a player so far down the chain. You just don’t often see players at the Dominican Summer League levels traded. You usually don’t even see players at the complex levels in the United States traded. While it’s not completely outside of the box thinking, it does stray from what normally happens. It does make it more risky because players at that level have so much more to overcome on their way up the ladder. Still, it’s a different strategy and I’m a fan of that.
Miguel Medrano Scouting Report
Miguel Medrano has a 3-pitch mix, working with a fastball, change up, and a curveball. His fastball worked in the 90-94 MPH range last season. It’s a pitch that he commands well. The change up is his best secondary offering that has a chance to be an above-average offering in the future. The curveball is a third pitch at this point, but he’s flashed good spin at times.