After the Cincinnati Reds spent two international signing periods in the dog house for blowing past their allotment amount to sign Jose Barrero, Vladimir Gutierrez, and Alfredo Rodriguez (among others – but they were the big three who caused the overage), the team made a splash in July of 2019 when they were allowed to spend big again. The Reds picked up two players on 7-figure signing bonuses with the biggest bonus going to then 16-year-old infielder Braylin Minier.
While things have changed in the few years since he signed, Minier was the biggest international signing of a non-Cuban player in over a decade by the Reds. He was only the second non-Cuban player that the Reds had given a 7-figure signing bonus to in over a decade.
Unfortunately for Braylin Minier, and the entire 2019 signing class, the 2020 season was cancelled and they all had to wait to begin their professional careers (at least in terms of playing in official games). Minier, who likely was going to play in the Dominican Summer League in 2020 had the season taken place, was pushed to the Arizona Complex League in 2021 for his professional debut. That debut took place nearly two years after he signed.
The 18-year-old got out to a slow start in Arizona. Over the first three weeks of the season he hit .156/.240/.289 in 12 games played. Things turned around, though. From July 24th through the end of the season he played in 27 more games and hit .300/.339/.440.
When the 2022 season began, Minier remained back in Arizona in extended spring training. Still just 18-years-old, it was understandable that he may not find his way onto the field until later in the season. But last week the infielder got the call up to join the Low-A Daytona Tortugas. He’s picked up right where he left off last season at the plate. In the six games he’s played with Daytona he’s hit .300/.364/.650 with two home runs.
The youngest player on the @daytonatortugas roster continues to turn heads.
18-year-old IF Braylin Minier slammed his second home run of the season last night.
He is slashing .300/.364/.650 with a 1.014 OPS in his first 6 games in the Florida State League. @ctrent #RedsMiLB pic.twitter.com/qsFiNgbsYC
— Justin Rocke (@JustinRocke) May 19, 2022
Defensively it seems that most observers don’t think shortstop is in his future at this point, though he started every game there last season in Arizona (when he was in the field – he did serve as the DH in a few games). Last night he played there for Daytona for the first time, but has played four games at third and one at second. When talking with people last year the compliments were all about his bat. Observers liked his ability to hit for both average and some power in the future.
There’s plenty of question about where Braylin Minier will wind up on the defensive spectrum. Fangraphs was brutally honest with their first sentence while writing up his report last month:
Minier was a high-profile amateur middle infield signee who fell down the defensive spectrum at a shocking clip, trending toward the 3B/1B/DH area during his first full pro season.
They did have some nice things to say about his bat, though, but also warned that there were plenty of concerns already in the profile. Minier certainly doesn’t resemble the player he was when he signed. There’s enough there to like with the bat that he could still be a player that could work as a corner infielder if he continues to develop at the plate.