Cincinnati Sports News

Cincinnati Sports News

Checking In on the Reds’ Top Prospects

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The Cincinnati Reds’ farm system is one of the most talented in all of baseball. Some prospects had small stints in the big leagues in 2025, while some have an ETA of 2026, meaning the team will likely see tons of young faces.

Let’s look at which top prospects can make an impact for the Reds in 2026.

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart (43) plays a ground ball off the bat of Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Enrique Hernandez (8) in the eighth inning of the MLB National League Wild Card Game 2 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. The Reds were eliminated from the postseason with an 8-4 loss to the reining World Series Champions La Dodgers.

The Reds’ Top Prospects Offer Tons of Potential

Sal Stewart – 3B/2B/1B

The Reds’ number one overall prospect made his MLB debut down the stretch of the 2025 season and played a huge part in their postseason berth. Sal Stewart’s all-around game at the plate brought some much-needed production in an underwhelming Reds lineup.

In 18 games, Stewart accumulated 0.5 bWAR thanks to his .255/.293/.545 slash line, good for an .839 OPS and 121 OPS+. His .545 slugging was a breath of fresh air for the team as they struggled in that department all season.

While he is a corner infielder who hits for power, he isn’t a hunk of meat sitting in a corner infield spot and swinging for the fences. He is an all-fields, line drive hitter with a very complete hitting profile. There were times, especially in the Wild Card Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he would make adjustments in the middle of at-bats or use the old school “go with the pitch” approach.

A Silver Lining

While he did struggle with plate discipline (32.7 Chase% – 25.9 K% – 5.2 BB%), so do the majority of 21-year-olds who make their debut.

His remaining metrics are all spectacular and would have placed him 90th percentile and above if he had enough service time to qualify:

.400 xwOBA

.291 xBA

.620 SLG

95.4 Avg Exit Velo

17.5 Barrel%

52.5 Hard-Hit%

Positionally, third base will likely be occupied by Ke’Bryan Hayes for the foreseeable future, seeing as he’s under contract and a Gold Glove winner. This leaves second base (occupied by Matt McLain), first base, and DH.

Stewart made his first professional appearance at first base for the Reds in 2025, and it can legitimately become his main position in the future. Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand are the current possible options at first base, but it is safe to say that Stewart should get the job over them.

Chase Petty – RHP

Chase Petty has had a unique track record so far in his young career. He made his MLB debut this year with Cincinnati and was not very good in his limited action.

He had a mix between starts and relief appearances and had issues with tipping pitches as well. This all resulted in a 19.50 ERA in six innings over three appearances.

It was a rough year overall in 2025, as he struggled in Triple-A as well, but it is understandable considering how fast he rose through the minor league levels. He is still a 22-year-old who’s figuring out his pitch mix, and will likely appear back on the big league roster in 2026, though the role is not exactly set in stone.

Petty struggled mightily with his fastball, which was his most highly touted pitch going into the draft due to its high velocity. An offseason of tinkering with the pitch mix and shapes, and the talented righty should be back on track.

Rhett Lowder – RHP

Yet another right-handed pitcher who’s had a cup of coffee in the big leagues, Rhett Lowder’s path has hit an abrupt stop recently. Drafted 7th overall from Wake Forest University back in 2023, Lowder ascended quickly, making his MLB debut in the tail end of the 2024 season. He tallied 30 2/3 innings across six starts and posted an exceptional 1.17 ERA.

However, he missed nearly the entirety of the 2025 season with a right forearm strain and a left oblique strain. A few rehab starts were all he could muster up, as these injuries sidelined him for an extended period of time.

Lowder had the opportunity to pitch in the Arizona Fall League this year and is on his way back to being fully healthy. A strong spring training will be pivotal for him, but he will still mostly start the season in Triple-A since, as currently constructed, the Reds have an abundance of starting pitching.

It is worth noting that despite the 1.17 ERA in those six starts for the Reds, the underlying numbers were quite brutal, and an adjustment period in his eventual big league return shouldn’t shock anyone.

Edwin Arroyo – SS

Edwin Arroyo is one of the most intriguing prospects in the Reds system, currently ranked 8th in the organization. Arroyo spent the entire 2025 season in Double-A, appearing in 120 games. His numbers were a bit underwhelming, and it has drawn some speculation regarding his future.

2025 Stats:

.284/.345/.371

.716 OPS

23 2B

4 3B

3 HR

44 BB/88K

His contact-oriented play style has resulted in a significantly lower slugging percentage as a result, and it is looking like he will not be a power producer in the big leagues any time soon.

Looking at the big league roster, the middle infield is essentially full. Elly De La Cruz isn’t going anywhere, and neither is Matt McLain. With the team’s biggest need being offensive firepower, it’s looking like Arroyo’s play style isn’t in line with what the Reds need.

An option for the Reds is that they can include him in a trade package to bring someone in as they are in a logjam up the middle of the infield.

Cam Collier – 1B/3B

21-year-old corner infielder Cam Collier started the season in Single-A but played the majority of the year in Double-A. In 74 games in Double-A, he posted some encouraging numbers.

Collier slashed .263/.377/.347 for a .724 OPS. He continued to walk an unbelievable amount, something that he had carried with him through every level of the minor leagues. His impressive 14.6 BB% was met with a 27.9 K%, which is a bit higher than he would like it to be.

The jump to Double-A is often considered the most difficult one, especially in his case, where he is just 21 years old. The fact that he is commanding the zone well enough to have such gaudy on-base numbers is extremely encouraging, and the power can be developed as he continues to grow.

He is yet another Reds prospect with a complete hitting profile, using the entire field efficiently.

39.9 Pull%

29.5 Center%

30.6 Oppo%

If he does make his major league debut in 2026, it will be a cup of coffee in September. There is simply no need to rush him, as he is progressing smoothly so far.

 

Main Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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