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    Ricardo Cabrera (Photo: Aldrin Capulong/Daytona Tortugas)
    Photo: Aldrin Capulong/Daytona Tortugas

    Cincinnati Reds #9 Prospect: Ricardo Cabrera – Third Base

    Doug Gray 15

    Ricardo Cabrera came stateside in 2023 and he hit .346/.475/.531 in 39 games with the Arizona Complex League Reds and five games in the final week of the year for Single-A Daytona. Cincinnati had him return to Daytona in the 2024 season and he would spend the entire year there.

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    The first five games of the season saw Ricardo Cabrera go 3-18 (.167) without an extra-base hit. But on April 14th he would go 2-4 with two walks, a double, and a home run against Palm Beach. Over the next four weeks he didn’t slow down as he added eight more doubles and two more home runs in 19 games, putting up an OPS of .935 in the process.

    A slump from May 11th through the 18th pulled his numbers down some as he managed just two hits in a 6-game stretch. On May 19th he would pick up a single in his four at-bats and that kick started a strong run over the following three weeks. In the 21 games from that point through June 12th he hit .314 and slugged .593 as he had 12 extra-base hits during that span. When that day ended he was hitting .286/.357/.498 on the year through 52 games.

    The four games that followed that saw the then 19-year-old go 0-17. In the final 11 games of June he hit .261 and slugged .435, but he drew just one walk – leading to a .286 on-base percentage. July began with a hit and a walk against St. Lucie and the next three weeks were solid as the third baseman hit .280, though he had just one extra-base hit in 13 games.

    That solid hitting didn’t continue. From July 25th through August 14th he would go into a slump, and also spend nine days on the injured list in the middle of that stretch. Playing in nine games he went 5-36 with just one walk and with 10 strikeouts. Cabrera’s bat heated up for the next two weeks as he hit .325 in 11 games, but in his final five games of the season he went 1-16 before being placed on the injured list that wound up costing him the final three weeks of the year.

    For all 2024 Season Reviews and Scouting Reports – click here (these will come out during the week throughout the offseason).

    Ricardo Cabrera Scouting Report

    Position: Third Base | B/T: R/R

    Height: 6′ 0″ | Weight: 201 lbs. | Acquired: International FA (2022)| Born: October 31, 2004

    The Reds top international prospect signed in January of 2022, Cabrera has moved up the ladder quickly. A shortstop early on, he moved over to third base in 2024 in a more full-time manner once Sammy Stafura arrives in Daytona, but late in the year he also began to log innings at second base.

    Shortstop seems to be out of the question as a big leaguer for Cabrera, but both third or second base remain options for him. His range doesn’t stick out at either but there’s enough there that will work thanks to his arm strength giving him a little extra advantage.

    At the plate is where he’s likely to have his calling card. While he only hit .253 during 2024, that was actually the 4th best average in the pitchers paradise that is the Florida State League among qualified hitters. His hit tool and power tool both grade out a bit above-average. His power currently is mostly to his pull side, but he is also a hitter who pulls the ball quite often. Cabrera’s approach at the plate can be aggressive at times and you would like to see him walk a little more often than he did in 2024.

    He stole 19 bases in 2024, but he was also caught eight times. Cabrera is an above-average runner, but he’s also lost a step already at this point in his career. He’s likely to slow down some more as he continues to climb the ladder.

    If everything develops in his game, Cabrera could be an every day starter at third or second base who is likely a below-average defender but an above-average hitter for either position.

    Stats

    Spray Chart

    Video

    Interesting Stat on Ricardo Cabrera 

    In the 17 games he played shortstop during 2024 he hit .358/.413/.567. In all other games during the year he hit .231/.315/.365.

    Doug Gray
    Doug Gray is the owner and operator of this website and has been running it since 2006 in one variation or another.

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    15 Responses

    2. Despite his struggles, he still put up a .720 OPS in the FSL as a 19 year old. I’m looking forward to seeing him in Dayton, hopefully at 100% health, and I’d like to see him playing 3B pretty much every day. I think the Reds get a little too “versatile” happy with guys sometimes. There is something to be said for constancy and routine when trying to develop a young player, and it’s hard to be constant at three different positions throughout one season.

      1. I can’t blame the Reds for dreaming on a bat like Sal Stewart’s or Cabrera’s at 2B. It’s almost a throwback to Jeff Kent or Bobby Grich, However … given the speed of today’s game at the ML level, and (thankfully) after trashing the shift, range at 2B matters. Just ask Joey Votto .. lol. Also, given McLain and Arroyo’s defensive chops, with the Rule 5 kid’s and even Callihan’s, it’s not like we don’t have better defenders at the position. So, perhaps it’s about increasing their value as assets (“versatility”) and not so much player development.

    3. Cabrera is one of the infielders who should be taken off the dirt. Unlike Collier, and Stewart he seems like a good candidate to move to the OF. This organizations OF isn’t going to improve unless some of the top prospects are OFs.

      His glove isn’t there defensively,

      “Cabrera could be an every day starter at third or second base who is likely a below-average defender but an above-average hitter for either position.”

      but he has good Run 55, and a better Arm 60.

      His power might be a little light for an ideal corner OF, but I’d be happy with a LF with a Hit 55, and Power 45 combined with his Run and Arm.

      1. I don’t hate the idea, but the OF is a little crowded in Dayton already with Sirota, Confidan, Pineda, and Almonte. Also, who is playing 3B in Dayton otherwise?

        1. You could very easily make the case to hold back Acosta. When I was looking at the options for 3B, I noticed that the Dragons have Acosta listed as a 3B, even though he has only played SS/2B.

          Failing that Sanchez, Ascanio, or even Moon could cover 3B. Most every minor leaguer is a filler player. The amount that actually make the MLB is small and to become an everyday starter even smaller.

        2. Acosta is 100% going to be back in Dayton, the question would be if he is converted to something like 3B, or becomes a utility guy, because I don’t see him playing 2B over Stovall. He doesn’t even turn 21 until mid June, so another year in High A isn’t the worst thing for Acosta, he could always move up to Chattanooga if her performs well in 2025. Moon will be 2B in Daytona, I doubt they’d push him to Dayton already. Ascaino would like to forget 2024, he was bad in Daytona and Dayton, he is likely a utility guy for Dayton this year, or he may be in a battle with Acosta for that 3B spot if Cabrera was moved off.

          Sirota will be the every day CF for that group. Confidan likely mostly in RF with Pineda and Almonte splitting reps between LF and DH. I think those 4 OF are playing mostly every day though, the one I could see falling off the most is Almonte as he is all power and very low hit. I could see High A eating him up.

          Cabrera to the OF is definitely an idea worth exploring. Good arm, could split time with Confidan in RF. I would expect we see Confidan in CF in the case of a day off or an injury to Sirota.

        3. I think one issue with Cabrera is, like Collier, his body is thickening at a younger age. Though not as pronounced as Collier, if Doug is pointing out he’s been moved off of short and has limited range at 3B and 2B, I can’t see his abilities translating to the OF.

          I do think the idea in general has merit, particularly for guys who have played themselves off od short stop and have limited value as a corner INF or 2B, such as Carlos Jorge. Looking ahead, to a time when Stafura or Tyson Lewis may be blocked at short by EDLC (or Arroyo, post-Elly), those are the type of athletes who’d be better OF fits IMO than Cabrera.

        4. The problem with many of the best hitting prospects is many of them have DH bodies. Cabrera unlike Collier and Stewart has better than average speed. Anything north of a Castellanos fielder would be a win imp for Cabrera.

          Stafura and Lewis would be better OF options, and I’ve said I’d move Lewis there now. Starura has better reviews as a SS than Lewis, so I’d keep him as a SS. If his bat continues to develop he gives the team options up the middle when EDLC becomes too expensive not to trade.

    4. This is a guy oozing with more potential at the plate and I could see him part of a package to garner us a MLB ready player. He is still very young and just has to build a little more consistency. I know Krall said teams want MLB ready players in these trade packages just recently. But, I could still see him as being part of a package. Would only hate to see him go if he didnt help bring back quality controllable MLB talent.

    6. One thing I noticed when tuning in to watch Daytona games are Cabrera’s intangibles. He seems to really have leadership, and he’s an emotional, fiery player. His teammates rally around him and when he was going good, he had a knack for big at bats and big hits. While you’re not going to see that at Fangraphs, I asked JJ Cooper about this in the Reds chat on BA. He said they absolutely take intangibles into account when rating players and ranking them.

      In contrast, Noelvi Marte seems to really lack maturity, not to mention leadership. How long the org sticks with him is more a matter of his physical skills. I am still pretty bullish on Marte, after watching him hit his way from AA to AAA to Cincy. Kid can hit, it’s just that he’s got to grow up at this stage, and fast.

      1. I agree with Marte, this is a big year for him to prove that he belongs. He does not need to be an All-Star, but, a year like last year does not bode well for his future. He has tremendous talent, but, when you have to face tough times ( and I think adversity is an over used term, but, here it does apply) how do you react. Are you just going to hope your talent gets you there, or are you willing to put in the work to be the player that everyone sees the potential you have? I am rooting for him, not only as a Red’s fan, but, as a baseball fan.

        1. A .270/.325/.425 year would be a massive step forward for Marte. He doesn’t have to be an all star, we just need him to be league average or a tick above for now.

      1. Yes, it happens often as players bodies mature into their early 20s. Guys get bigger, a little slower.

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