RedsMinorLeagues.com released the Cincinnati Reds Top 25 Prospect List in the final week of October. We try to get it done as early as possible to beat the other publications. But when doing that, it also means that trades will often mean prospects are coming and going on the list. The Reds lost two of their top 25 prospects in the trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Josiah Gray, originally ranked #12, and Jeter Downs, originally ranked #9, both were moved in that deal. Earlier this month it was infielder Shed Long that was also moved. He was the #8 prospect in the organization at the time he was traded to the New York Yankees. Long was almost immediately traded to Seattle for those keeping tabs at home.
The trade with the Dodgers led to outfielder Michael Beltre and reliever Ryan Hendrix joining the Top 25 list. It’s been just over a week since the Reds traded Shed Long in a deal for Sonny Gray and opened up a spot on the Top 25 list.
Today we’re going to fill that spot at #25 by adding right-handed reliever Joel Kuhnel to the list. I wrote up a full season review and scouting report on him for 2018 just three weeks ago. You can read the entire thing here if you’d like to (you should).
Here’s the short of it all, though. He pitched in Daytona for the entirety of the 2018 season, picking up 17 saves as the closer. His ERA was 3.04 in 53.1 innings, where he allowed just 2 home runs. He also walked just 11 batters and had 56 strikeouts. Among relief prospects in the organization, he’s got the best pure velocity, touching triple digits. He also throws a quality slider.
There’s a lot more in the link above, so go read it. But Joel Kuhnel’s certainly a guy who could move quickly in 2019, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him in Cincinnati at some point in the second half.
Here’s what the new and updated Cincinnati Reds Top 25 Prospect List looks like:
You can get full scouting reports, spray charts, season reviews, and video (on most of these players) at this link.