Cincinnati Reds: Breaking Down the Top 5 Prospects in the Reds' Farm System

Based on moves and acquisitions this offseason, it is clear that the Cincinnati Reds are going all in to win the National League Central this year. The division is ripe for the picking, with Milwaukee and St. Louis likely taking a step back, so we shall see if general manager Walt Jocketty's shrewd moves pay off. 

The farm system will feel the effects of the Mat Latos trade, but the two key players they gave up—first baseman Yonder Alonso and catcher Yasmani Grandal—were blocked by better players ahead of them. 

With that in mind, let's look at the the top five players in the Reds' farm system heading into the 2012 season. 

1. Devin Mesoraco, C, 23

Mesoraco is the best catching prospect in baseball, and his presence made it much easier for the Reds to deal Grandal. He made his major league debut last September, hitting just .180/.226/.360 in 53 plate appearances. 

Strengths

Mesoraco is a fantastic hitter, with bat speed, power and plate discipline. He is not elite defensively, but has the arm strength and receiving skills to eventually be at least an average big league catcher in the future. 

Weaknesses

He is not a finished product behind the plate. He actually took a small step back in 2011, throwing out baserunners just 26 percent of the time. He also committed 10 errors. He has the tools to be good on defense, but will have to make small adjustments to get there. 

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Minor defensive questions aside, Mesoraco is an elite catching talent who should be an All-Star for a long time to come. He is a special hitter already, and will continue to evolve behind the plate to be average. He should be the Reds' starting catcher on Opening Day. 

ETA: 2012

2. Billy Hamilton, SS, 21

There might not be a more exciting player in the minors right now than Hamilton. He stole 103 bases last season in low Class-A. He is probably the fastest player in all of baseball right now, and still has some room to improve as he gets more experience. 

Strengths

Obviously, his speed is the first thing that is going to jump out at you. He uses his speed to steal bases, but he also has good instincts on the basepaths. He can turn groundouts into singles and is not afraid to take an extra base. 

Weaknesses

Unfortunately, speed and baserunning is where the magic stops with Hamilton. His defense at shortstop needs a lot of work. He does have range at the position, but his arm and instincts are not great. His bat is limited because he is not likely to develop a lot of power, and he strikes out a lot. 

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If the bat and defense come around, Hamilton would shoot up the overall prospect rankings. He could turn into an old-school leadoff hitter who draws walks and swipes a lot of bases, but he will have to improve his contact rate in order to become that kind of player. 

ETA: 2015

3. Robert Stephenson, RHP, 18

The Reds took Stephenson with the 27th overall pick in last year's draft. He was one of the best high school pitching prospects, so the team was more than happy to land him so late in the round. He signed late and did not pitch. He will make his debut this season. 

Strengths

Despite being a high school player, Stephenson already has an advanced approach to pitching with good command of the strike zone. He works both sides of the plate, and doesn't try to blow hitters away with his mid-90s fastball. His delivery is clean, without a lot of movement or extra stress on his shoulder. 

Weaknesses

Like most high school pitchers, Stephenson doesn't have an effective off-speed pitch in his arsenal yet. He has a changeup and curveball in his arsenal, and will have to throw both of them this year to get a feel for them.

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Stephenson has the potential to be a No. 2 starter if his off-speed pitches come around. It won't be enough for him to throw them; he also has to show that he can command them. The fastball is already plus, and it could get better as his body fills out.

ETA: 2015

4. Daniel Corcino, RHP, 21

Corcino had a breakout season in 2011. He had 156 strikeouts in just 139.1 innings pitched, and lowered his walk rate from 4.3/9 IP in 2010 down to 2.2 last season. He put himself on the radar with all of his improvements on the mound. 

Strengths

His raw stuff is very good. He has an excellent fastball-changeup combination already, and slider is getting better as he gains more experience. He will throw any pitch at any time, which helps keep hitters off balance. The improved control in 2011 raised his stock considerably. 

Weaknesses

The two biggest negatives for Corcino are his small frame—he is listed at 5'11"—and his arm slot won't allow him to throw on a downhill plane. The delivery puts stress on his shoulder that could lead to injuries, and if he overthrows, he is susceptible to giving up a lot of extra-base hits. 

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Based on stuff alone, Corcino could be a No. 2 or 3 starter. However, his size and arm slot are likely going to hurt him as he moves up the ladder. He could end up in the back of a rotation or in the bullpen. 

ETA: 2014

5. Didi Gregorius, SS, 21

The Reds have a number of talented shortstop prospects in their system, with Gregorius having more upside than Hamilton and Zack Cozart. He has been unable to turn his tools into performance, but the talent is clearly still there. 

Strengths

Despite making 21 errors last season and 89 in his first four pro seasons, Gregorius has good skills on defense. He shows plenty of arm strength and range to play shortstop at a high level when he wants to. He also has above-average speed.

Weaknesses

His tools have yet to translate onto the field. He is never going to hit for power, and he has not shown the ability to take walks. He also gets lackadaisical on defense, which is why he has such high error totals. 

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Gregorius has some of the best tools in the system. He has an understanding of how to read pitches in order to work the count, and he could be a very good defensive player if he maintained focus on the field. He could be a lot of things, but he has to be willing to make adjustments to get his skills to translate on the field. 

ETA: 2015

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