When the 2023 international signing period began in January the Cincinnati Reds made a big splash, signing Alfredo Duno to a large bonus as one of the top players in the 2023 class. The catcher was known for showing a good ability to hit as well as his tools behind the plate as an amateur.
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Five months after signing, Alfredo Duno got his professional career underway in early June when the Dominican Summer League season began. To say that he got out to a good start would be a bit of an understatement. In his first eight games he was able to get on base at least twice in each contest and hit .370 with 10 walks, 10 runs, a homer, and 11 runs batted in. He would go hitless in the following two games – but did walk in each game – before going 8-10 with two doubles, a home run, and seven runs batted in during the final two games of June.
When July began, Alfredo Duno just kept on hitting. In the first half of the month he hit .343/.425/.629 in nine games. But he went into a bit of a slump in the second half of the month and that carried forward for nearly four weeks. From July 18th through August 11th he hit just .154/.371/.269. The walks were there – he had 17 of them in 18 games – but the hits simply were not falling in for him. On August 12th he picked up a hit and two walks and for the next week-and-a-half he continued to hit, closing out the season by hitting .333 in his final seven games of the season.
For all 2023 Season Reviews and Scouting Reports – click here (these will come out during the week throughout the offseason).
Alfredo Duno Scouting Report
Position: Catcher | B/T: R/R
Height: 6′ 2″ | Weight: 210 lbs. | Acquired: International FA (2023) | Born: January 7, 2006
Hitting | He has an average hit tool.
Power | He has plus power potential.
Speed | He’s an average runner.
Defense | He could be an above-average defender.
Arm | He’s shown a plus arm in the past.
When talking about the debut for Alfredo Duno we need to be sure to point out that he did not play defense all season. He felt some discomfort in his throwing arm prior to the season began and the Reds decided to use the 2023 season to build up some additional strength in his arm and work on some mechanical things with his throws. Duno still worked behind the plate in practice and participated in catching drills with the exception of throwing-related stuff. With that said, prior to this he showed off plus arm strength behind the plate, and his defensive tools project well.
At the plate there was a whole lot to like from Duno, and he showed off plenty of that in his debut. He hit well, showing off a high average and good power (really good for his age and level). Duno also walked nearly as often as he struck out during the year. His approach was a bit pull happy. He currently is an average runner, but given his size, age, and what tends to happen to catchers as they age, he’s likely to be a below-average runner down the line.
The upside here is for an All-Star caliber catcher who can hit for average and power as well as be a strong defensive catcher. Given that he’s never actually caught a professional game and he’s still 17-years-old and has not even reached the complex level in Arizona, there’s a lot of risk involved here, too. At this point in his career there don’t seem to be any glaring red flags in his profile or performance, but it’s a long, long way from the complexes in the Dominican Republic to the big leagues.
Video
Alfredo Duno Spray Chart
Interesting Stat on Alfredo Duno
He was an absolute terror on the road, hitting .355/.512/.710 with five of his six home runs coming in away ballparks in his debut.