Sammy Stafura Rewards Reds With Strong Full-Season Debut
Few 2023 draft picks fell as flat in their pro debuts as Reds second-rounder Sammy Stafura. The high school shortstop went 3-for-42 in a 12-game trial in the Arizona Complex League.
Stafura remained in extended spring training when full-season minor leagues opened in 2024. When the ACL season began a month later, the 19-year-old wasted little time in making an impression. He hit .346/.449/.582 in 15 games and was promoted to Low-A Daytona.
“It was a really positive year for Sammy,” Reds senior director of player development Jeremy Farrell said. “He went out and earned his way to Daytona.”
Once he got to the Florida State League, Stafura helped stabilize the top third of the lineup for the Tortugas. Among players with at least 350 plate appearances in the league, his 14.8% walk rate ranked second best.
“He was identified for a reason,” Farrell said of the product of Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., “and our amateur scouting group did an awesome job—which they always do—at bringing in a player with an obvious skill set, but also a baseball IQ and love for the game.
“It turned out to be a really good year for him.”
Those traits helped Stafura hit .255/.374/.379 with six home runs in 77 games in the low-scoring FSL. He stole 27 bases in 32 attempts.
Stafura didn’t just stabilize the lineup, he took over at shortstop after Daytona had been rotating several players at the position earlier in the year.
“We feel he does have a future there, due to everything he brings to the table,” Farrell said. “He dominates the routine play, has the athleticism to range to his backhand and his glove side, and he’s accurate across the diamond.
“We feel really good about where he’s at right now in his development.”
