The Arizona Fall League will play it’s annual Fall Stars game this weekend. It’s not technically an “All-Star” game as performance in the league isn’t necessarily a part of the selection process. It’s a little more of a showcase, but it’s probably a bit of a hybrid. Today the final voting ended for the final few spots on the American League and National League rosters. Outfielder Jacob Hurtubise was among the players in the final fan vote, but he was not selected. Two Cincinnati Reds prospects were selected to participate in the game.
Cincinnati had one pitcher and one position player added to the roster. Right-handed reliever Andrew Moore and catcher Michael Trautwein will both be representing the Reds in the game.
As of Friday night, Michael Trautwein is hitting .238/.347/.476 with a double, three home runs, a steal, eight runs scored, and 11 runs batted in in his 13 games played. He’s also walked seven times and struck out 15 times (in 49 plate appearances). After splitting time in 2023 behind the plate and in the corner outfield, all of his time in the field in Arizona has come at the catcher position. He has also spent a little bit of time as the Surprise Saguaros designated hitter.
Andrew Moore missed much of the regular season. He would join Dayton in August after a rehab stint with the ACL Reds and pitch in 10 games for the Dragons. Now he’s out in Arizona and making up for lost time. The right-hander has had some inconsistency in his six games for Surprise. He’s allowed four earned runs in 6.1 innings, giving up eight hits, walking four batters, hitting two others, and he’s picked up five strikeouts in his 6.1 innings so far.
The 2023 Fall Stars game will be on Sunday at 8:00pm ET at Sloan Park out in Arizona. You can follow the game live on MLB Network or you can stream it live on MLB.com if that is easier for you. The home run derby takes place on Saturday night, but no Reds players are participating and at least as of now there’s no way to watch it unless you buy a ticket at the stadium.
Reds have a 1 in 10-ish chance to draft top 6 in the lotto. Probably more likely they draft 15th than winning a lotto spot. They are slotted at 14.
Suspect Trautwein/Mat Nelson will be battling for a Reds 2025 roster spot. Depends on what the Reds do with TS/Maile after ’24.
Logan Tanner and Connor Burns will be pushing up behind them, too. Of the few Daytona games televised and seeing Tanner throw, this guy looks like he really has that 70 grade arm. And Burns’ defense draws raves.
Trautwein hit a line shot in right/center gap for a double in the game. He also stole third base and scored on a ground ball to the first baseman. It was strange that both starting catchers in the game, Trautwein and Hicks, are both from the Surprise AFL team.
Moore pitched a scoreless inning and pitched very well.