It’s no secret that the Cincinnati Reds prefer to develop talent from within. Though they may make some trades, the front office relies on its young farm talent to make it to the big leagues and have an impact. It’s good news that the outlook in the minor leagues is so promising.
Cincinnati placed five players on Major League Baseball’s Top 100 Prospects list. This is the most by any one team apart from the Cubs, Mariners, White Sox, Dodgers, and Tigers. Let’s take a quick look at who made the list and why:
Chase Burns lead the way at number 26. He was the number 2 overall draft pick for the Reds in 2024. Burns will report to spring training soon in February as a non-roster invitee.
In his final year at Wake Forest, the flame-throwing right-hander was 10-1 with a 2.70 ERA. He had 191 strikeouts in 100 innings. Chase was also the ACC’s Pitcher of the Year and a Golden Spikes finalist. His fastball routinely tops 100 MPH and his slider has improved as his secondary pitch.
He joins the Reds alongside former Wake Forest pitcher Rhett Lowder, who the team drafted at number 7 overall in 2023. Though we might not see Burns at the big league level in 2025 his arrival will no doubt be eagerly awaited.
The aforementioned Rhett Lowder placed at number 35. He started strong for the Reds last year after being drafted in 2023. After making 22 minor league starts Lowder moved up to The Show and went 2-2 with a 1.17 ERA in 6 starts in 2024. During that time he posted a 1.9 bWAR which is very respectable for a rookie in his position.
It’s a good bet that Rhett will be heavily in the mix for a spot in the Reds 2025 rotation. Given his strong showing last year he will merit a lot of consideration. The Reds were understandably cautious with his development but he might see significant work in 2025.
The other Reds placing in the top 100 included third basemen Sal Stewart (84) and Cam Collier (91) as well as shortstop Edwin Arroyo (92).
The development of young players is always going to be of paramount importance for a team like the Cincinnati Reds. The market they inhabit makes effectively identifying talent in the draft so crucial to their ability to become contenders down the road. That’s why seeing so many prospects ranked so well has to be refreshing to those looking towards the Reds’ future.
