After going through the Reds Media Guide, I found every player who was signed last year (as a free agent, not including draft picks) or this year who will be making their debut in 2008. There are 21 players total and they are listed below.
Personally, seeing kids born in 1991 in the system is mind boggling to me, but I guess I am getting older. I doubt that many of them see time in the United States, but it will be interesting to follow those that do closely while checking in on those down in the Latin Leagues when they start.
Fourteen of the twenty one guys were signed out of the Dominican Republic, with two from Italy, two from Venezuela, one from Germany, Canada and one from Netherlands. Almost half (10 of 21) of the players signed were pitchers while the rest were split between catchers, shortstops and outfielders.
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7 responses so far ↓
1 Ron // Feb 24, 2008 at 1:32 am
Hey Doug,
I know there are never any garuntees with really young players, but it seems most of our top pitching prospects are all either at the majors or knocking on the door and no one down below that is carrying the excitement that Bailey generated when we first drafted him. Are there any low level guys we should keep an eye on this year that have the potential to blossom out of obscurity like Cueto? The only two guys that come to mind right now are Sean Watson & Travis Wood … but they seem more like fringy/back of the rotation or bull pen guys than possible high ceiling ones in the Cueto/Bailey mold.
2 Doug Gray // Feb 24, 2008 at 1:59 am
Travis Wood, if healthy can certainly be a much more dominant type of pitcher than a guy like Matt Maloney could ever be. Wood throws a little harder than Maloney and has a plus plus pitch at his disposal with his change up. He needs to gain some weight though if he ever hopes to pitch 175 innings in a season.
That said, the guy to really keep an eye on this year is 18 year old Kyle Lotzkar. He was a supplemental first round draft pick out of Canada last year. From a Reds scout I have talked to, he is the real deal. His fastball has gotten as high as 95 MPH and all of his pitches have good movement on them. I am not the biggest fan of his mechanics right now, but I haven’t seen him throw since his draft video so maybe they have changed.
Sean Watson I see taking a step toward the bullpen again.
One more guy to keep an eye on is Josh Ravin. His fastball is the fastest in the system that I know about (has hit 99 MPH), he has a good pitchers body with room to add on some bulk. He is rough around the edges and his control went to the crapper last year, but I think it was just a blip on the radar in the control department. Both Ravin and Lotzkar could start out in Dayton next year, so it could be a fun rotation to follow along with the Louisville one.
3 Reds sign 16 year old Juan Duran out of the Dominican Republic // Mar 2, 2008 at 12:50 pm
[...] New class of prospects for 2008 [...]
4 Daryl // Mar 21, 2008 at 10:53 pm
What are your thoughts on Evan Hildebrandt? He was a late signee. Do you know anything about him?
5 Doug Gray // Mar 21, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I really like Hildenbrandt. He has a good pitchers body and he has a real strong curveball. He was signed for 3rd round money out of the 6th round, so he is more talented than your average 6th round guy. The Reds will likely take their time with him, and I don’t know if there will be room for him in Dayton at the start of the year in the rotation or not. I can’t wait for roster information to start coming out.
6 olan r, williams // Apr 7, 2008 at 11:14 am
francisco mateo rule 5 drafe from blue jays whats happen to him thanks.
7 Conner Scruggs // Jul 30, 2008 at 12:51 am
I live in Chesterfield Va, and i dont get a chance to see the Reds play often, but i was just wondering who you think will be the next Reds player in the minors to get the call to Cincinnati for the first time and make their ML debut.
Thanks.
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