Organization Ranking: 17
I've ranked every farm system, as well as the top 100 MLB prospects for 2015. Below, I've ranked at least the top 10 Reds prospects, plus an overview of the system and any other names of note beyond the top 10. I also discuss any prospects who might help the big league club in 2015, one or two prospects whose stock has taken a big hit in the past year, and a sleeper prospect who I think can jump into the main top-100 list for 2016.
Non-Insider subscribers: Check out the free Tampa Bay Rays top-10 prospects report to see what these entail.
Top 10 prospects
1. Jesse Winker, LF
2. Robert Stephenson, RHP
3. Aristides Aquino, RF
4. Michael Lorenzen, RHP
5. Nick Howard, RHP
6. Raisel Iglesias, RHP
7. Alex Blandino, 3B
8. Nick Travieso, RHP
9. Yorman Rodriguez, OF
10. Kyle Waldrop, LF
Overview
The Reds tend to draft high-upside athletes -- especially multisport guys -- and those are who populate most of their system's top 15-20 prospects, although there's a touch of irony in having Jesse Winker, who isn't that type of player, atop their system. Winker will give the major league club the OBP boost it has needed since Shin-Soo Choo left, maybe as soon as the end of this year. The remainder of the system has a solid balance between bats and arms, probably a little heavy on aspirational picks -- players for which you have to hope for one significant leap between now and when they reach the majors.
Aquino is one of the most toolsy prospects the Reds have had in ages -- a five-tool player with power, speed, arm strength and a wiry frame that should fill out nicely. He's not lost at the plate but definitely needs to tighten up his approach when he faces low Class A pitching this year. Lorenzen and Howard are both former two-way college players, and Waldrop, right-hander Jackson Stephens (14) and third baseman Gavin LaValley (15) were football players in high school; lefty Amir Garrett (11), who will pitch in the majors at least as a reliever, spent four years futzing around playing college hoops when his future was on the mound the whole time. Waldrop improved substantially last year, improving his approach by leaps and bounds and allowing his raw power to appear more in games. Yorman Rodriguez has one of the best packages of tools in the system and has a fourth-outfielder floor, but to be more than that, he has to prove he can recognize breaking pitches better than he did last fall.
2015 impact
Iglesias might work out as a starter if given the chance, but the odds are good he'll make the Reds bullpen out of spring training after he was hitting 97 mph in short stints in instructional league; the Reds will need a long-term replacement for Aroldis Chapman at some point, and Iglesias could be the guy. If it's not him, perhaps it'll be Jonathan Crawford (12), who worked as a starter in low Class A last year but should go right to the bullpen in Double-A to fast-track him to the majors. Either Winker or Waldrop could help the team as a late-season addition to the bench or even as an injury replacement for Marlon Byrd or Jay Bruce.
The fallen
Phil Ervin (13), their first-round pick in 2013, had wrist surgery after that season and was very slow coming back from it; he's also a pull hitter who became too pull-happy and struggled all summer in low Class A despite being old for the level. On the bright side, he stole 30 bases in 35 attempts, which is more baserunning production than I would have expected based on his raw speed.
Sleeper
Aquino was a consideration for the top 100 this year, but he wasn't young for the Pioneer League and his plate discipline will have to be stronger for the Midwest League. He has top-50-caliber tools, maybe even more -- finishing second in that circuit in homers and steals while leading it in doubles -- so he could make a huge jump if he can adjust to facing better pitching this year.