Today and tomorrow I will be discussing which players will be in minor league spring training that haven’t played in a US league in the past. Some of the guys are new signings and some guys are just coming up from the Dominican Summer League. For today I am going to focus on the pitchers who are joining the Reds in Arizona for minor league camp that were signed last year or will be coming up from the Dominican Summer League. Check back tomorrow for the position players.
Miguel Aguilar | RHP
Born: 7/25/1995 | 6′ 0″ | 180 lbs
The Reds picked up three players from the Mexican League in June and July of 2014, all from the same club. Miguel Aguilar signed later than the other two, being picked up at the end of July from the Monterrey Sultans. While Aguilar was under control of the Sultans he never pitched for the “Triple-A” version of the team (the Mexican Pacific League is classified as a Triple-A level, but it is not affiliated with any Major League Baseball teams and has it’s own minor league system), only playing for their minor league squad.
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Carlos Machorro | RHP
Born: 9/20/1996 | 6′ 2″ | 175 lbs
Machorro signed at the same time as his teammate that we will talk about below, in late June of 2014, making up the group of three pitchers all plucked from the Monterrey Sultans of the Mexican League. Machorro participated in instructional league with the team last season and is being brought back in for spring training.
Travis McDonald | LHP
Born: 3/31/1992 | 6′ 3″ | 195 lbs
The Reds signed the left handed pitcher out of Australia in October, though it was a rather strange route for Travis McDonald. The Australian pitched in college for Arkansas-Little Rock and Central Arizona. In two seasons with Arkansas-Little Rock the lefty posted a 3.96 ERA in 109.0 innings to go with 44 walks and 87 strikeouts. He pitched in the Western Major Baseball League, a Canadian College Summer League after his senior season in 2014 and posted a 4.08 ERA in 20.0 innings with six walks and 18 strikeouts.
Dakota Mitchell | RHP
Born: 8/16/1994 | 6′ 3″ | 213 lbs
The Reds signed Mitchell out of Adelaide, Australia in February of 2013 but he missed all of the 2013 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. He also didn’t pitch in the 2014 season thanks to shoulder issues that he wound up going under the knife for as well. The last and only time he’s pitched in an affiliated game, if we can even call it that, is when he made one appearance in the Australian Winter Baseball League as a 16-year-old.
Adrian Rodriguez | RHP
Born: 8/8/1996 | 6′ 1″ | 185 lbs
The final of the three pitchers signed from the Mexican League’s Monterrey Sultans, Adrian Rodriguez signed in late June with the club. Like the other two, he never pitched for the Triple-A version of the Sultans, only playing in their minor leagues. Rodriguez participated with the team in instructional league back in October.
Damian Taveras | RHP
Born: 1/14/1994 | 6′ 3″ | 190 lbs
The Reds picked up Damian Taveras in October 2012 as an international free agent. He pitched for the DSL Reds in 2013 as a 17-year-old where he had 27 strikeouts and 15 walks in 34.2 innings pitched. He did not pitch in the 2014 season and he also didn’t participate in instructional league, likely suggesting he was injured given that they are bringing him stateside now but didn’t for instructional league.
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