The Cincinnati Reds are 5-5-1 this spring, but while their record isn’t impressive, some of the performances from those 11 games certainly have been. On Monday night two of the team’s Top 25 prospects kept on impressing as outfielder Allan Cerda and infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand homered for the Reds in their win over the Colorado Rockies.
Allan Cerda got the scoring started on Monday night under the lights in Goodyear, hitting a 2-run home run in the second inning. It was his second homer of the spring, which for the time was tied with Christian Encarnacion-Strand for the team lead. He would later walk in the game, finishing 1-2 with that walk on the night. After being removed from the 40-man roster in the offseason, Cerda has to fight his way back and he’s doing a good job of that early on. Through six games played, Cerda’s hitting .429/.600/1.286 with two home runs and three walks in his 10 plate appearances. Small sample size warning here, but it’s the sample he’s been given and he’s crushed it.
Cerdafied slugger @allancerda24 pic.twitter.com/vLcdoner81
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 7, 2023
Prior to Allan Cerda’s homer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand singled but was thrown out on the bases later in the inning. That was his first hit of the day. Two innings later he led off the inning with a solo home run. That broke his tie with Cerda for the team lead. He’d finish the night 2-3. In his eight games played he’s now hitting an absurd .647/.611/1.235 (yes, his on-base percentage is lower than his average thanks to zero walks and one sacrifice fly). He’s struck out just one time in his 18 plate appearances.
CES is the hottest hitter in all of baseball. pic.twitter.com/w7fYnQQrEg
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 7, 2023
While the home runs stole the show, so to speak, it was another day that included a walk for Matt McLain. He came off of the bench on Monday to take over at second base and went 0-1 with a walk, steal, and a run scored. He’s now hitting .444/.688/.889 with seven walks and two strikeouts in seven games (16 plate appearances).
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic gets started on Tuesday night when Cuba takes on the Netherlands at 11pm ET on FS1. Pitcher Arij Fransen will be with the Netherlands for the game. On Wednesday when Australia takes on Korea there will be another Reds pitcher on the field as Kyle Glogoski will be representing Australia.
Man, if Cerda can keep making contact, he could be a huge piece going forward. The fact that he had OPSed 800+ last year with a .208 BA is incredible. I’ve said before and I’ll say again – Nooga’s OF of Hinds, Cerda, and Hendrick could combine for lots of Ks, but a whole bunch of power.
I think Hendrick starts back out in Dayton. Last season when Daytona started with Allen, Hendrick, Confidan, and Thompson in the outfield it was Thompson who got promoted first. That group should start in Dayton together this year unless they keep Confidan down for missing so much time last year
On Cerda I’m excited too. With his power and very good BB% if he just raises his hit tool a little bit it isn’t crazy to dream of him being a Kyle Schwarber type hitter with much better defense. Fingers crossed that one of he or Hinds can figure it out this year but I’ve liked what I’ve seen out of Cerda so far this spring. Sucks that he got reassigned to minor league camp already
Cerda showed me some quality bat speed on the HR
Doug it is embarrassing to say but 5-5-1 might be pretty impressive for this team.
Agree there