Nick Travieso

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #17 prospect in 2017
  Signed for a below-slot $2 million as the 14th overall pick in 2012, Travieso has proven to be durable in his pro career. He broke his wrist when hit by a comebacker in 2015 and missed some starts, but he has avoided any significant arm or elbow injuries. However, Travieso has not blossomed into the front-line starter the Reds envisioned. His fastball that touched 97 mph in high school generally sits 91-93 as a pro and his fringe-average slider lacks the bite or depth of an elite pitch. His slider has a chance to become average, while his changeup is below-average. On the plus side, he throws his fastball with good armside run and pitches inside. He also knows how to pitch down in the zone with sink, but he lacks a putaway pitch, which forced him to nibble more than he would liked at Double-A Pensacola in 2016. He showed well below-average control because he refuses to give in to opposing batters, but he must find a way to make hitters uncomfortable if he's going to be more than a No. 5 starter or middle reliever.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #7 prospect in 2016
  Travieso's season hit a snag when a comebacker broke a bone in his forearm in June 2015. He returned in time to help high Class A Daytona to the Florida State League playoffs and went to the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost time. Travieso is yet another Reds pitcher with a strong trunk and thick legs, and the plus fastball to go with them. In high school, he was very open in his delivery and finish. He's straighter to the plate now, which has also helped him create more angle on his pitches. Travieso's fastball generates easy plus grades because it sits 92-95 mph and touches 97, and he spots it well to both sides of the plate with solid-average control. His secondary offerings are key to his development. His average 83-84 mph slider has some depth and is his go-to weapon, but midway through 2015 he also added a slower curve as an early-count offering. His fringe-average changeup showed improvement this year as he threw it with more conviction. Even after spending three seasons at Class A, Travieso will be ready for Double-A Pensacola in 2016 as a 22-year-old. His fastball, durability and control give him a good chance to be mid-rotation starter.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #8 prospect in 2015
  In the case of Travieso, the Reds had an inside advantage because international scouting director Tony Arias' son Nicholas played on the same Archbishop McCarthy High club that finished No. 1 in the country their junior year in 2011 and No. 5 their senior year. Travieso's stuff picked back up at low Class A Dayton after dipping in 2013. He went back to bringing his hands over his head to begin his windup later in the season, which coincided with his best run of 2014. He sat 92-95 mph and touched 97 in a 4-0, 1.56 August. Travieso generally sat at 90-93 mph, showing a tick above-average fastball and an 84-86 mph slider. His slider flashes above-average, but like many young pitchers, he throws as many loopy breaking balls as sliders with good tilt. His below-average changeup needs refinement. Travieso likes to pitch inside, and he impressed evaluators with his competitiveness. His delivery has some effort, but it hasn't kept him from throwing strikes, and he shows the potential for average control. After spending most of the past two seasons at Dayton, Travieso likely will head to high Class A Daytona in 2015, but he's shown enough feel that if the Reds have a need at Double-A Pensacola, he could skip a level. He projects as a No. 4 starter with a chance to be a little better than that if he can improve his secondary stuff.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #8 prospect in 2014
  As a high school junior, Travieso threw 18 innings as a middle reliever as Archbishop McCarthy High finished No. 1 in the nation. He stepped into the rotation as a senior, helping his team to a fifth-place national finish. The Reds signed him for $2 million, which was $375,000 under the recommended slot. When high school or college pitchers transition to the five-man rotation, the quality of their stuff can suffer under the increased workload, and that has happened to Travieso. He generally has shown solid but unspectacular stuff as a pro. After touching 98 mph and sitting 92-95 in high school, he sat at 92 in 2013, pitching anywhere from 89-95 depending on the day. His slider, which pushed the mid-80s in high school, has suffered a little as well. It's a potentially average pitch, but it sometimes flattens out and lacks the depth it needs. His changeup has improved but still is below-average. His command is advanced for his age, and he does a good job of pitching up and down in the zone to change hitters' eye levels. Though he won't get to make use of his bat for a few years, Travieso is an excellent hitter for a pitcher with surprising power. Unless his stuff picks back up, Travieso is on a trajectory to be a back-end starter or a reliever. He should be ready for high Class A Bakersfield in 2014.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #6 prospect in 2013
  In the final month before the 2012 draft, Travieso's velocity ticked up as he helped Archbishop McCarthy High (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) win its third straight 6-A state title. He pitched just 15 innings as a junior because the team was stacked and he was still raw on the mound. The Reds had plenty of history with him because international scouting director Tony Arias has a son on the team, and they selected Travieso 14th overall and signed him for $2 million--$375,000 less than the assigned pick value. While Travieso's fastball touched 98 mph in high school, he sat at 90-93 mph and peaked at 96 as pro as Cincinnati worked on getting him to repeat his delivery and avoid opening up too early. Some scouts think his fastball lacks life and deception. He shows the ability to spin a tight slider in the mid-80s, but he doesn't stay on top of it or command it consistently. His changeup is a long ways away, which isn't surprising considering his limited innings. The Reds will give Travieso plenty of chances to start, but many observers see him ending up as a power reliever. Cincinnati probably will put him on the same path as 2011 first-rounder Robert Stephenson, sending Travieso to extended spring training and then on to Rookie-level Billings or Dayton.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #40 prospect in 2012 draft
  Travieso rivaled Zach Eflin for the most helium of any pitcher in the Southeast. Earlier in his prep career Travieso was a hitter and relief pitcher who showed velocity off the mound but little touch and feel, or secondary pitches for that matter. This spring, Travieso took off the training wheels, starting for Archbishop McCarthy and taking a big step forward in April after getting some innings under him. Travieso's fastball sits in the 91-95 mph range, and at times it's better than that, reaching 98. In his first year throwing a breaking ball, Travieso has developed a hard slider with power that scrapes 86 and sits in the low-to-mid-80s. He's still learning a changeup but already has shown the ability to manipulate the baseball, developing a fastball with two-seam action to help him get to his glove side. Previously considered more of a reliever, Travieso had late helium as his stuff jumped a grade. He could push his way into the first round. He's committed to Miami if teams still believe he's more of a reliever than a starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #16 prospect in 2012
  A strong high school senior year propelled Travieso into the middle of the first round, as he went 14th overall and signed for $2 million. In Arizona, his fastball ranged from 90-93 mph, down a couple of ticks from his spring velocity because the Reds had him focus on his mechanics. They wanted him to finish on the back side of his delivery more to keep from pitching up in the strike zone too much. Travieso's fastball will be his bread and butter, though it may need added movement. He has recently added a hard curveball that can be a plus pitch once he improves his command of it. His changeup provides some deception, but he needs to control it better and keep it down in the zone. Travieso stands out for his mound presence. He has a stocky build and will need to continue to work on his conditioning. Some observers believe that his best role ultimately could be as a late-inning reliever if his secondary pitches don't develop enough.

• December, 2014 Scouting Report
  In the case of Travieso, the Reds had an inside advantage because international scouting director Tony Arias' son Nicholas played on the same Archbishop McCarthy High club that finished No. 1 in the country their junior year in 2011 and No. 5 their senior year. Travieso's stuff picked back up at low Class A Dayton after dipping in 2013. He went back to bringing his hands over his head to begin his windup later in the season, which coincided with his best run of 2014. He sat 92-95 mph and touched 97 in a 4-0, 1.56 August. Travieso generally sat at 90-93 mph, showing a tick above-average fastball and an 84-86 mph slider. His slider flashes above-average, but like many young pitchers, he throws as many loopy breaking balls as sliders with good tilt. His below-average changeup needs refinement. Travieso likes to pitch inside, and he impressed evaluators with his competitiveness. His delivery has some effort, but it hasn't kept him from throwing strikes, and he shows the potential for average control. After spending most of the past two seasons at Dayton, Travieso likely will head to high Class A Daytona in 2015, but he's shown enough feel that if the Reds have a need at Double-A Pensacola, he could skip a level. He projects as a No. 4 starter with a chance to be a little better than that if he can improve his secondary stuff.
• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: In the final month before the 2012 draft, Travieso's velocity ticked up as he helped Archbishop McCarthy High (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) win its third straight 6-A state title. He pitched just 15 innings as a junior because the team was stacked. The Reds had plenty of history with him because international scouting director Tony Arias has a son on the team, and they selected Travieso 14th overall and signed him for $2 million--$375,000 less than the assigned pick value. Scouting Report: While Travieso's fastball touched 98 mph in high school, he sat at 90-93 mph and peaked at 96 as pro as Cincinnati worked on getting him to repeat his delivery and avoid opening up too early. Some scouts think his fastball lacks life and deception. He shows the ability to spin a tight slider in the mid-80s, but he doesn't stay on top of it or command it consistently. His changeup is a long ways away, which isn't surprising considering his limited innings. The Future: The Reds will give Travieso plenty of chances to start, but many observers see him ending up as a power reliever. Cincinnati probably will put him on the same path as 2011 first-rounder Robert Stephenson, sending Travieso to extended spring training and then on to Rookie-level Billings or Dayton.