Re: Full Minors Roster for '09
OMG Knight, this is all you will need. This site is damn good
OMG Knight, this is all you will need. This site is damn good
For an overview of the process used to grade players, the factors used to determine where a player ranks, and other frequently asked questions, please click here. All grades are subject to change based on any new information I receive before the start of the season. If you disagree, you can make your case by contacting me or you can make a comment below at the bottom of the page.
You can find a full listing of each team’s top prospect list in the Top Prospect List Archive Page. Also, each team will have their Team Page published when their top prospect list becomes available. Team pages include team rosters, stats, payroll and front office information, past Baseball-Intellect articles related to that team, and links to some of the team’s best fan sites. We move on to the Cincinnati Reds…
Also See: Cincinnati Reds, Prospects 6 - 15
1. Yonder Alonso | 1b | B - L | N/A | Age - 22 | Drafted - Round 1 (7), 2008
Player Grades
Contact - 45 Now | 55 Future
Power - 55 | 60
Discipline - 55 | 65
Speed - 35 | 35
Defense - 45 | 50
Arm - 50 | 50
Instincts - 50 | 55
ETA - Mid-2010
Final Grade - B+
I completed a scouting report on Alonso earlier this summer, which you can read here. He made a brief appearance in A+ Sarasota, but it was only for 19 ABs. However, we did get to see him play extensively in the Hawaii Baseball League in the fall and he was very impressive. He showed his all around ability with his patience and his ability to hit for both average and power. I suspect the Reds will be start the advanced Alonso in Sarasota and if he thrives, the Reds could aggressively promote him to Double-A during the second half of next season.
Best Case Outcome - Top-5 first baseman
More Likely Outcome - Top-10 first baseman…worst case for Alonso would be that he ends up having to play in a platoon role because he doesn’t hit lefties very well
*Updated 3/4
2. Netfali Soto | 3b | Single-A Dayton | Age - 20 | Drafted - Round 3, 2007
Player Grades
Contact - 40 Now | 55 Future
Power - 50 | 65
Discipline - 40 | 50
Speed - 35 | 35
Defense - 40 | 45
Arm - 45 | 50
Instincts - 40 | 50
ETA - 2011
Final Grade - B+
Body Type - long with a very projectable frame…wiry strong
Scouting Report
I’m very bullish on Soto for a number of reasons:
1. His ability to RAKE. He makes hard contact, which will lead to a higher than normal BABIP rates, and therefore higher batting averages.
2. At age 19, Soto stormed through the Pioneer League in just 71 plate appearances to the tune of a 1.169 OPS before being promoted to Single-A Dayton. Soto was easily the most productive of the 25+ 19 year olds roaming the Midwest League with an .842 OPS.
3. Soto’s raw power rates as close to plus-plus. He put up a .176 ISO-power and he still has considerable room to fill out his frame. He’s got very quick wrists and generates plenty of bat speed. His swing is smooth and he stays closed until unloading at the last moment, which you can see in the clip below:
*Credit to mikerivers30
Soto has excellent hand-eye coordination, which allowed him to have a respectable contact rate despite rarely walking, which he will need to do more of in the future and is the one thing that seeps worry into my mind about Soto.
Besides the lack of patience, Soto’s biggest weakness is a lack of athleticism and coordination. His speed is below average and he looks pretty awkward as he makes his way down the first base line at full speed. His arm is solid enough, but not the most accurate.
Best Case Outcome - All-Star third baseman
More Likely Outcome - Above average third baseman…however, I read in a Jim Callis chat that he thinks Soto will eventually wind up at first base. J.J. Cooper, also of Baseball America, mentioned that he felt Soto would eventually move to a corner outfield spot.
First base is the worst case scenario with a corner outfield spot being the second worst case scenario. The Reds will give him every opportunity to stay at third or perhaps make a move to second if his problems are mostly related to the footwork involved in charging ground balls and making accurate throws to first. If the problems mostly relate to range, then second base would probably be ruled out as well.
3. Todd Frazier | INF | B - R | A+ Sarasota | Age - 23 | Drafted - Round 1A (34), 2007
Player Grades
Contact - 45 Now | 50 Future
Power - 50 | 55
Discipline - 45 | 55
Speed - 45 | 45
Defense - 45 | 50
Arm - 55 | 55
Instincts - 50 | 55
ETA - Mid-2010
Final Grade - B
Body Type - 6-foot-3, strong build…not the greatest of athletes
Scouting Report
Frazier is a versatile player without a true position, but has a bat that should play anywhere.
Frazier made less contact last year, which will likely put a cap on his batting average, but his power rates as above average. He tore up Single-A Dayton to the tune of a 1.026 OPS in 109 ABs before a promotion to A+ Sarasota.
He more than held his own in the Florida State League, showing solid power and the ability work the count.
*Credit to gianthawaiian78
Frazier has a swing viewed by many as unorthodox. He extends his front foot forward on its toes, subsequently shifting his weight forward and twisting his knee as a way to open his hips. As this happens, Frazier lowers his hands with his front arm fully extended. The arm usually gets more flex as the swing gets underway, but when he maintains an extended front arm, he loses some of his power and can be busted inside.
Frazier isn’t great at any position because of a lack of range, but is solid overall. He’s below average as a shortstop, but could play the position if need be.
Best Case Outcome - Above average third baseman or top-7 second baseman
More Likely Outcome - Average third baseman or top-12 second baseman…worst case for Frazier is he’s a very solid utility guy in the Mark DeRosa role
4. Drew Stubbs | CF | Triple-A Louisville | Age - 24 | Drafted - Round 1 (8), 2006
Player Grades
Contact - 40 Now | 45 Future
Power - 45 | 50/55
Discipline - 45 | 50/55
Speed - 55 | 55
Defense - 55 | 55
Arm - 60 | 60
Instincts - 45 | 55
ETA - 2009
Final Grade - B-/B
Body Type - tall and athletic
Scouting Report
Stubbs remains an unfinished product, but he made strides last season as a hitter, especially with his plate discipline. While he has always been a guy that has been more than willing to take a walk, he had a major propensity to strike out. However, he cut that rate down enough that we can consider it true progress especially when you factor in he was playing higher levels of competition.
Stubbs generates plus bat speed and because of that he makes hard contact consistently, resulting in high BABIPs. Because he will always be a player that strikes out, Stubbs will likely never hit for average.
Stubbs’ raw power is considered above average, but it hasn’t really shown up in game situations. His ISO-power has been in the .140 - .160 range his entire career. His homerun total took a dip this past year because he cut down on his swing in an effort to generate more contact (Source: Baseball America).
Another thing to note, Stubbs had a pretty significant lefty/right split though in the past that hasn’t been a problem.
Defensively, Stubbs is strong with a plus arm, above average range and speed.
Best Case Outcome - Above average center fielder
More Likely Outcome - Average everyday center fielder…worst case would be a fourth outfielder platoon type
5. Chris Valaika | INF | Double-A Chattanooga | Age - 23 | Drafted - Round 3 (84), 2006
Player Grades
Contact - 45 Now | 50/55 Future
Power - 45 | 50
Discipline - 40 | 45
Speed - 45 | 45
Defense - 50 | 50
Arm - 55 | 55
Instincts - 50 | 55
ETA - 2009
Final Grade - B-/B
Body Type - stocky, but muscular build with a heavy lower half
Scouting Report
Valaika showed that the second half of his 2007 season was an aberration by tearing through the Florida State League to the tune of a .971 OPS.
Valaika is blessed with wonderful hand-eye coordination that allows him to consistently put the barrel of the bat on the ball despite being very aggressive with his hacks, though he does cut down on his swing with two strikes.
Valaika has power to all fields and gets a very healthy percentage of line drives and fly balls. His bat speed, while above average, isn’t considered to be plus. On the left is Valaika in 2008 and on the right is his draft video.
*Credit to Pacific Prospect Report and the MLB Scouting Bureau
Valaika has made some pretty drastic changes to his swing since being drafted in 2006. For one, there’s much more flex in his knees than before and he sets up with a wider base, which gives him better balance. Gone is the high leg kick, replaced by a very short stride and plant. His loading of the hands is a bit longer, but his swing overall isn’t very long.
Valika will struggle with breaking pitches, occasionally getting too out in front, but he generally lets the ball travel deep into his hitting zone.
Valika’s biggest weakness is his lack of patience. He’s not a high K hitter, but he’ll want to improve both on working the count and making more contact.
Defense - strong arm, good hands…below average feet and foot speed. He could stay at shortstop, but he best profiles as a second baseman.
Best Case Outcome - Above average second baseman
More Likely Outcome - Slightly above average second baseman
You can find a full listing of each team’s top prospect list in the Top Prospect List Archive Page. Also, each team will have their Team Page published when their top prospect list becomes available. Team pages include team rosters, stats, payroll and front office information, past Baseball-Intellect articles related to that team, and links to some of the team’s best fan sites. We move on to the Cincinnati Reds…
Also See: Cincinnati Reds, Prospects 6 - 15
1. Yonder Alonso | 1b | B - L | N/A | Age - 22 | Drafted - Round 1 (7), 2008
Player Grades
Contact - 45 Now | 55 Future
Power - 55 | 60
Discipline - 55 | 65
Speed - 35 | 35
Defense - 45 | 50
Arm - 50 | 50
Instincts - 50 | 55
ETA - Mid-2010
Final Grade - B+
I completed a scouting report on Alonso earlier this summer, which you can read here. He made a brief appearance in A+ Sarasota, but it was only for 19 ABs. However, we did get to see him play extensively in the Hawaii Baseball League in the fall and he was very impressive. He showed his all around ability with his patience and his ability to hit for both average and power. I suspect the Reds will be start the advanced Alonso in Sarasota and if he thrives, the Reds could aggressively promote him to Double-A during the second half of next season.
Best Case Outcome - Top-5 first baseman
More Likely Outcome - Top-10 first baseman…worst case for Alonso would be that he ends up having to play in a platoon role because he doesn’t hit lefties very well
*Updated 3/4
2. Netfali Soto | 3b | Single-A Dayton | Age - 20 | Drafted - Round 3, 2007
Player Grades
Contact - 40 Now | 55 Future
Power - 50 | 65
Discipline - 40 | 50
Speed - 35 | 35
Defense - 40 | 45
Arm - 45 | 50
Instincts - 40 | 50
ETA - 2011
Final Grade - B+
Body Type - long with a very projectable frame…wiry strong
Scouting Report
I’m very bullish on Soto for a number of reasons:
1. His ability to RAKE. He makes hard contact, which will lead to a higher than normal BABIP rates, and therefore higher batting averages.
2. At age 19, Soto stormed through the Pioneer League in just 71 plate appearances to the tune of a 1.169 OPS before being promoted to Single-A Dayton. Soto was easily the most productive of the 25+ 19 year olds roaming the Midwest League with an .842 OPS.
3. Soto’s raw power rates as close to plus-plus. He put up a .176 ISO-power and he still has considerable room to fill out his frame. He’s got very quick wrists and generates plenty of bat speed. His swing is smooth and he stays closed until unloading at the last moment, which you can see in the clip below:
*Credit to mikerivers30
Soto has excellent hand-eye coordination, which allowed him to have a respectable contact rate despite rarely walking, which he will need to do more of in the future and is the one thing that seeps worry into my mind about Soto.
Besides the lack of patience, Soto’s biggest weakness is a lack of athleticism and coordination. His speed is below average and he looks pretty awkward as he makes his way down the first base line at full speed. His arm is solid enough, but not the most accurate.
Best Case Outcome - All-Star third baseman
More Likely Outcome - Above average third baseman…however, I read in a Jim Callis chat that he thinks Soto will eventually wind up at first base. J.J. Cooper, also of Baseball America, mentioned that he felt Soto would eventually move to a corner outfield spot.
First base is the worst case scenario with a corner outfield spot being the second worst case scenario. The Reds will give him every opportunity to stay at third or perhaps make a move to second if his problems are mostly related to the footwork involved in charging ground balls and making accurate throws to first. If the problems mostly relate to range, then second base would probably be ruled out as well.
3. Todd Frazier | INF | B - R | A+ Sarasota | Age - 23 | Drafted - Round 1A (34), 2007
Player Grades
Contact - 45 Now | 50 Future
Power - 50 | 55
Discipline - 45 | 55
Speed - 45 | 45
Defense - 45 | 50
Arm - 55 | 55
Instincts - 50 | 55
ETA - Mid-2010
Final Grade - B
Body Type - 6-foot-3, strong build…not the greatest of athletes
Scouting Report
Frazier is a versatile player without a true position, but has a bat that should play anywhere.
Frazier made less contact last year, which will likely put a cap on his batting average, but his power rates as above average. He tore up Single-A Dayton to the tune of a 1.026 OPS in 109 ABs before a promotion to A+ Sarasota.
He more than held his own in the Florida State League, showing solid power and the ability work the count.
*Credit to gianthawaiian78
Frazier has a swing viewed by many as unorthodox. He extends his front foot forward on its toes, subsequently shifting his weight forward and twisting his knee as a way to open his hips. As this happens, Frazier lowers his hands with his front arm fully extended. The arm usually gets more flex as the swing gets underway, but when he maintains an extended front arm, he loses some of his power and can be busted inside.
Frazier isn’t great at any position because of a lack of range, but is solid overall. He’s below average as a shortstop, but could play the position if need be.
Best Case Outcome - Above average third baseman or top-7 second baseman
More Likely Outcome - Average third baseman or top-12 second baseman…worst case for Frazier is he’s a very solid utility guy in the Mark DeRosa role
4. Drew Stubbs | CF | Triple-A Louisville | Age - 24 | Drafted - Round 1 (8), 2006
Player Grades
Contact - 40 Now | 45 Future
Power - 45 | 50/55
Discipline - 45 | 50/55
Speed - 55 | 55
Defense - 55 | 55
Arm - 60 | 60
Instincts - 45 | 55
ETA - 2009
Final Grade - B-/B
Body Type - tall and athletic
Scouting Report
Stubbs remains an unfinished product, but he made strides last season as a hitter, especially with his plate discipline. While he has always been a guy that has been more than willing to take a walk, he had a major propensity to strike out. However, he cut that rate down enough that we can consider it true progress especially when you factor in he was playing higher levels of competition.
Stubbs generates plus bat speed and because of that he makes hard contact consistently, resulting in high BABIPs. Because he will always be a player that strikes out, Stubbs will likely never hit for average.
Stubbs’ raw power is considered above average, but it hasn’t really shown up in game situations. His ISO-power has been in the .140 - .160 range his entire career. His homerun total took a dip this past year because he cut down on his swing in an effort to generate more contact (Source: Baseball America).
Another thing to note, Stubbs had a pretty significant lefty/right split though in the past that hasn’t been a problem.
Defensively, Stubbs is strong with a plus arm, above average range and speed.
Best Case Outcome - Above average center fielder
More Likely Outcome - Average everyday center fielder…worst case would be a fourth outfielder platoon type
5. Chris Valaika | INF | Double-A Chattanooga | Age - 23 | Drafted - Round 3 (84), 2006
Player Grades
Contact - 45 Now | 50/55 Future
Power - 45 | 50
Discipline - 40 | 45
Speed - 45 | 45
Defense - 50 | 50
Arm - 55 | 55
Instincts - 50 | 55
ETA - 2009
Final Grade - B-/B
Body Type - stocky, but muscular build with a heavy lower half
Scouting Report
Valaika showed that the second half of his 2007 season was an aberration by tearing through the Florida State League to the tune of a .971 OPS.
Valaika is blessed with wonderful hand-eye coordination that allows him to consistently put the barrel of the bat on the ball despite being very aggressive with his hacks, though he does cut down on his swing with two strikes.
Valaika has power to all fields and gets a very healthy percentage of line drives and fly balls. His bat speed, while above average, isn’t considered to be plus. On the left is Valaika in 2008 and on the right is his draft video.
*Credit to Pacific Prospect Report and the MLB Scouting Bureau
Valaika has made some pretty drastic changes to his swing since being drafted in 2006. For one, there’s much more flex in his knees than before and he sets up with a wider base, which gives him better balance. Gone is the high leg kick, replaced by a very short stride and plant. His loading of the hands is a bit longer, but his swing overall isn’t very long.
Valika will struggle with breaking pitches, occasionally getting too out in front, but he generally lets the ball travel deep into his hitting zone.
Valika’s biggest weakness is his lack of patience. He’s not a high K hitter, but he’ll want to improve both on working the count and making more contact.
Defense - strong arm, good hands…below average feet and foot speed. He could stay at shortstop, but he best profiles as a second baseman.
Best Case Outcome - Above average second baseman
More Likely Outcome - Slightly above average second baseman
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