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    Jonathan India (Photo: Doug Gray)
    Photo: Doug Gray

    Reds prospect Jonathan India homers again in the AFL

    Doug Gray 17

    It’s been a tough Arizona Fall League season so far for Jonathan India. And on Monday afternoon that continued. Sort of. In the field he made two errors – both of the throwing variety – giving him six in just 15 games played. He only had 18 errors in the entire regular season.

    With that said, he did do some damage with the bat today. After being robbed of extra-bases earlier in the game, Jonathan India went deep to left-center field for a 2-run shot for Glendale.

    The home run was the only hit of the game for India, who went 1-5 with two strikeouts. The home run was his third of the AFL season in his 15th game. Home runs seem to be the only thing that’s going the way for the #5 overall pick in the 2018 draft. The infielder is hitting just .137/.250/.333 with three of his seven total hits being homers. He has walked seven times, but he’s also struck out 20 times.

    Tyler Stephenson got the starting nod as the Desert Dogs designated hitter on the afternoon. He went 1-4 with a walk and two runs scored in the game. That walk gave him four – which is one more walk  than he has strikeouts in his 10 games played. He’s hitting .378/.452/.541 through 37 at-bats.

    Jordan Johnson was the starting pitcher on the day. The Reds starter allowed just one run over 4.0 innings, walked no one, and he struck out two batters. His ERA dropped to 3.86 on the season in 14.0 innings where he now has seven walks and 14 strikeouts.

    Doug Gray
    Doug Gray is the owner and operator of this website and has been running it since 2006 in one variation or another.

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    17 Responses

    2. It may be too early to say that India was a miss at #5, but in your opinion is that the feeling you’re getting?

      1. You didn’t ask me but way too early to say that. After two or three more years, maybe. But not now.

        2. I know I often look back in Reds history for examples but here’s another.

          27 yo Frank McCormick was Reds rookie in late 1930s. He was agurably the best hitter in NL his first 3 seasons (1938-39-40 as I recall).

          Justin Turner with LAD is model example of a late bloomer.

      2. India’s biggest problem is that he is not Nick Senzel which was many peoples expectation when he was drafted. I think some of Reds leadership are thinking the same way as they are pushing him a little too quickly. He probably would have benefited from a full year in A Ball rather than pushed to AA.

    3. I’m listening on offers for India. The power is legit, but the contact skills have me concerned. Better to cash in now before he gets exposed?

      On the other hand, Stephenson is a hard no to anyone asking.

      1. Who is asking or who would ask for India? Only a team looking to buy very low.
        Rumor is that AA leagues are going to the ML baseball like AAA did last year. That might help pick India up next year. Tell India he is going to spend the whole season next year at AA and then let him relax at the plate.

        1. Using the juiced ball almost seems like a non legitimate improvement. It worked for Aquino, O’Grady and Vanmeter though.

        2. Isn’t the “juiced” ball the same one they are using in the MLB?
          I think I read that they are changing the MLB ball next year? Is this correct and will that also apply to AAA?

          1. I’ve heard more than a few rumors about the baseball as it relates to the minor leagues – but can’t get any confirmation on anything.

    4. off topic but sitting here watching the NLCS and marvel at how much of Cardinals pitching staff is home grown and developed. 1 relief pitchers and 1 starting pitcher were developed by other organizations and/or signed in free agency. All the others were drafted or developed by the Cardinals. That is a phenomenal run of pitching development. Wish Big Bob had brought some of the people responsible for minor leagues with him from St. Louis 12 years ago. Reds need some of this.

      1. He did. Walt Jocketty. Took Reds to playoffs in 2010, 2012, and 2013. Many (not all) homegrown P on those teams. Only playoff appearances by Reds since mid 1990s.

        PS Jockey also built the Oakland A’s minor league system in late 1980s.

        1. I hate Auto Correct. Jocketty, not Jockey. He (and Reds braintrust) failed in two ways: #1 promoted a good P coach to MGR in 2014. #2 kept him as MGR in 2016 when his flaws were clearly evident.

        2. oldtimer – care to come up with who came over that was responsible for minor league development – because it sure wasn’t Jockety. He did make some trades to bring in guys like Scott Rolen, and then Matt Latos by using minor leaguers developed by previous front office but there was no minor league pitching development.

          Kudos to him for drafting a finished product – Mike Leake, and getting big Bob to sign off on paying another finished product – Aroldis Chapman. However, there was no sustainable pitching development that occurred under Walt Jockety. Many of the Cardinals’ current pitchers were drafted or signed as amateurs over 6 years ago. That takes patience, grooming, development, and coaching. This is what we need more of.

    5. I’m more than willing to give India more time to develop his skills before either trading him or tossing him into the ML fire. He’s still quite young. Over the years plenty of players appeared to be going nowhere when they just bust lose and begin raking. I think India will do the same at some point.

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