Drafted in the 6th round (185th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2014 (signed for $85,000).
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The Reds took Lopez in the sixth round of the 2014 draft despite the fact that he missed his entire junior year at Seton Hall after having Tommy John surgery. Lopez reached high Class A Daytona in 2016 and started at that level again in 2017. The Reds promoted him after nine starts with Daytona. He was even better in Pensacola. Lopez worked six or more innings in 10 consecutive Double-A starts despite being limited to less than 100 pitches per start. Lopez pitches in the low 90s, but can get up to 95 mph. He has an above-average slider that he can throw for strikes, while his below-average changeup is still a work in progress. Pensacola pitching coach Danny Darwin raves about Lopez's competitiveness and pitchability. Because of the stockpile of arms in Triple-A, Lopez will probably start 2018 in Double-A again, but should move up sometime in the season and could even find himself in the big leagues before the end of the year.
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