One of the things that has been overlooked without a minor league baseball season in 2020 is that not only did some players participate on the field (at the alternative sites, for example), but some players made strides in their games. Jonathan India was at Prasco Park with the Cincinnati Reds during the summer. He never did get his chance to come up to the Major Leagues in 2020 and play with Cincinnati, but the progress he made at the alternate site didn’t go unnoticed.
All that you need to do is look around the prospect evaluation landscape to see that the stock is clearly up for Jonathan India. While the public didn’t get to see what was happening at the alternate sites for most teams (at least one team would regularly broadcast their alternate site practices for fans to watch), the teams mostly shared video feeds and data (Trackman/Rapsado/etc).
Since being drafted, it’s been a tough road for Jonathan India. He’s been injured enough that he hasn’t really had a chance to put together the kind of numbers – specifically in the power category – that may have been expected out of him when he was drafted. The injuries weren’t usually enough to keep him off of the field, but he was not 100% most of the time, either. But while he was at Prasco and the Reds alternate camp, health was there and India stood out.
Keith Law of The Athletic had Jonathan India jump into his Top 100 Prospects on his 2021 list after a showing well last summer. For Cincinnati the question likely becomes – what do they do? India has some time at third base, second base, and even a tiny amount of shortstop. He’s probably stretched at short, but looks strong at third and good over at second base, too. He’s plenty athletic enough to handle the corner outfield spots if asked, as well. But all of those spots are locked up on the Reds right now by proven guys, and even All-Stars. Perhaps right field could be there if Nick Castellanos were to opt out following the 2021 season, but if he doesn’t, it’s a situation where the Reds may not have an every day spot opened up for a while for India.