The Dayton Dragons are the first team in the Cincinnati Reds farm system to release their 2022 roster. Let’s be sure to note that this roster is preliminary and could change before the season begins on Friday. (Every player is linked to their Baseball Reference page so you can see their career stats)
The Pitchers
- Andrew Abbott (#20 prospect)
- Frainger Aranguren
- Donovan Benoit
- Joe Boyle
- Manuel Cachutt
- Thomas Farr
- Myles Gayman
- Jake Gilbert
- Jake Gozzo
- Nick Hanson
- Evan Kravetz
- James Marinan
- Connor Phillips
- James Proctor
- Carson Rudd
- Jake Stevenson
- Spencer Stockton
There’s no breakdown of the starters and relievers in the release here. With that said, these guys were starters last year: Andrew Abbott, Joe Boyle, Thomas Farr, Evan Kravetz, James Marinan, Connor Phillips, and James Proctor.
The Catchers
- Mat Nelson (#16 prospect)
- Garrett Wolforth
Both catchers are returning to Dayton this year, though neither guy played in 10 games with the Dragons last year. For Nelson, he’ll hope it goes better this time around as he had his season cut short after he took a pitcher (while catching) off of the wrist. Wolforth hopes he can repeat his short stint in Dayton where he hit .257/.333/.514 with 5 extra-base hits in just nine games.
The Infielders
- Elly De La Cruz (#4 prospect)
- Juan Martinez
- Alex McGarry
- Nick Quintana
- Jose Torres (#21 prospect)
- Jonathan Willems
The infield is going to be quite athletic. Elly De La Cruz is one of the hottest names in all of minor league baseball. After bursting onto the scene last summer and going from unknown prospect to top 100 prospect. Jose Torres was a 3rd round pick last summer and was considered the best defensive shortstop in the draft, but had a questionable bat. All he did was go out and hit .333 and slug .591 in his debut (28 games). The Reds like both Torres and De La Cruz as shortstops, so they may find a way to get playing time at the position for both of them.
The Outfielders
- Allan Cerda (#23 prospect)
- Quin Cotton
- Ashton Creal
- Rece Hinds (#9 prospect)
- Jack Rogers
Rece Hinds will be making his outfield debut with the Dragons this week. He made the transition from third base to the outfield this spring and things went well enough that the organization decided to stick with it. Hinds has struggled to remain healthy, but last year when he was on the field he crushed the ball, slugging .542 with 29 extra-base hits in 54 games played.
He’ll be joined by fellow top 25 Reds prospect Allan Cerda. He’s returning to Dayton after spending the final month of 2021 there while hitting .273/.356/.520. Quin Cotton and Jack Rogers are also returning to Dayton, and they’ll be joined by newcomer to the Dragons – Ashton Creal.
I was ready to see Bonnin and Roa, but they’re missing. I’d be surprised to see either start in AA. Are they hurt?
They are both injured.
Oof. Is this a short term thing (like Castillo / Minor / Sims) or will they miss a substantial part of the season?
Expected to be more short term, but you never know how that’s going to work out. Joe Boyle was supposed to be out a short term last year and then missed the entire first half. Michael Lorenzen was supposed to miss like 2 weeks out of camp one recent year and missed the first half (maybe that was last year?).
Doug, Im assuming Phillips would’ve cracked your top 25 if he had been named sooner. Would he be closer to Abbott or Roa, and Bonnin?
Yes, he’s be in the top 25. Exactly where is something I’m still working on. I will probably have an update to the top 25 within the next week to add him, but I want to dig a little bit deeper before doing that.
Am I wrong for being surprised about Daniel Vellojin and Tyler Callihan not being here?
Callihan was hurt last year and only got 100 PAs on the season. Starting him in low A is fine. Vellojin is hurt now, I think. (Not seriously, but enough to not be ready for the start of the year.)
I’m guessing Wolforth moves up to High A when Vellojin is healthy.
Dayton is High-A.
Vellojin is going to miss the start of the year after injuring his hamate in the spring.
And, since I’m a dunce, I forgot Callihan had Tommy John surgery last year. Thank you for the reply and all your work here. You do an awesome job.
Dayton should be a contender team in that league, good starting pitching , solid bullpen, hitters with pop and batting average, speed on bases…
Doug, not sure if you’ve reviewed Dayton’s schedule, even though you sent out their TV schedule last week but I saw a number of cities that were not scheduled for home/away series’. South Bend I saw games in Dayton but none in SB. I’m sure there are others, would you have an idea as to how these schedules were created or the rationale?
There’s always some teams in the opposite divisions who don’t have a home/road, just one or the other.
I was hoping to watch Dayton play South Bend Cubs this year…but alas, Dayton doesn’t come to South Bend this year :( Bummer….
Do as I will go to either Fort Wayne or one of the Michigan A teams. I want to see this group play together, I drove to 4 separate cities the year they had Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns, Corky Miller, and I may be off mark but I think they had Brandon Larson on that roster as well (I think he was coming back from one of many injuries)
Larson and Gookie Dawkins. I saw Dunn hit one over the scoreboard in Rockford.