2023 International Reviews: Cincinnati Reds

With shortstop Elly De La Cruz, a 2018 Reds signing out of the Dominican Republic, the Reds have one of the elite international prospects in baseball. Now there’s a burgeoning group of Reds international prospects in their lower levels making their way to Low-A Daytona, where infielders Carlos Jorge and Leonardo Balcazar join outfielders Ariel Almonte and Yerlin Confidan as organizational Top 30 Prospects on the roster.

This year the Reds have added to that international pipeline with one of the best catchers they have ever signed from Latin America. 

Top Of The Class

Venezuelan catcher Alfredo Duno has a rare mix of physicality, athleticism and tools for a 17-year-old catcher. Signed for $3.1 million—the second-highest bonus for a Venezuelan player this year after Padres catcher Ethan Salas—Duno is 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, a strong, well-proportioned athlete with a mature tool set. At the plate, Duno has big righthanded raw power that grades out plus and could end up a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. If everything clicks, he could be a 30-plus home run hitter. There are times where he overswings with his upper body, causing his swing to get disconnected with his lower half, but even when he’s not totally synced up, he’s typically on time, recognizes spin and has shown the ability to barrel high-end velocity. Catchers as big as Duno often face questions about sticking behind the plate, but Duno draws high praise for his defense. He’s a good athlete who moves extremely well for a catcher with average speed underway, though that tool will likely back up. His experience handling high-velocity arms from a young age shows in his advanced receiving skills for his age, while his plus-plus arm and quick release help him dial in pop times under 1.9 seconds on his best throws in games. 

Names To Know

Alfredo Alcantara, SS, Dominican Republic: Alcantara, 17, signed for $640,000 after showing promise as a righthanded hitter. He’s 5-foot-9, 165 pounds and has the foundation of skills to get on base at a strong clip. There are a lot of moving parts to his swing, starting with a big leg kick and a hitch that he might have to quiet once he faces better velocity, but he’s typically on time with a knack for finding the barrel against live pitching. He’s strong for his size with a chance for average power, sometimes getting himself into trouble trying to sell out for that newfound power, but he’s at his best when he stays through the middle of the field. Alcantara has a chance to stick at shortstop too, though he could move around the infield. He has good hands and footwork along with an average arm. 

Rafhlmil Torres, SS, Venezuela: Signed for $300,000, Torres grabs attention with his flashy defense. He’s 5-foot-11, 150 pounds with excellent hands and footwork for 17 at shortstop. In workouts, Torres enjoyed doing ball tricks at shortstop—fielding balls between his legs or behind his back—but in games he has a good internal clock and a near-average arm from shortstop. He’s a switch-hitter with a line-drive approach, gap power from both sides of the plate and solid-average speed. 

Yeycol Soriano, OF, Dominican Republic: Soriano is a 17-year-old center fielder who signed for $200,000. Soriano has a slender 6-foot, 150-pound frame, and while he doesn’t have typical burner speed for a center fielder as an average runner, he gets excellent reads off the bat and glides around center field with an easy gait and efficient routes. He has a plus arm as well, so if he ends up moving off center field, he could fit in right field. Soriano is a righthanded hitter with natural loft to his swing, and while he needs to layer more strength on to his skinny build, he does have a knack for driving the ball to right-center field with doubles power.

Dominic Scheffler, LHP, Switzerland: There have been other Swiss players who have played in pro ball, but Scheffler became the first international signing from Switzerland when he signed with the Reds for $200,000 this year. Scheffler was born in Switzerland and spent some time going to high school in Japan before moving to Germany. Scheffler had Tommy John surgery in August, so he’s currently rehabbing and finishing high school in Germany, but when healthy he showed strong stuff for an 18-year-old lefty. He’s 6-foot-4, 195 pounds with a low-90s fastball that touched 94 mph. He has shown feel for a curveball as well, with a slider/cutter and a nascent changeup in his mix as well. 

Anielson Buten, SS, Dominican Republic: Buten is a smaller player at 5-foot-9, 155 pounds who signed with the Reds at 17 for $200,000. He’s a plus runner and a righthanded hitter with a line-drive approach and gap power, likely moving around the infield in a utility role between shortstop, second and third base, with the speed that could fit in center field as well. 

Enmanuel Talavera, RHP, Venezuela: Talavera immediately stands out for his 6-foot-5 frame and projection to throw extremely hard. Signed for $150,000, Talavera is a 17-year-old with a fastball that has touched 92 mph, showing the arm speed and room to add weight to his thin frame to think he could have upper-90s velocity in the future. He has shown some feel for a breaking ball and stands out more for his projection than polish, but it’s a chance for a big power arm if everything clicks. 

Sleeper Watch

Signed out of Mexico for $10,000, first baseman Yael Romero represented his country at the U-18 World Cup in Bradenton, Fla. last year. Romero led his team in OPS, hitting .476/.571/.621 in 29 plate appearances to make the All-World Team for the tournament. There aren’t many pure first base international prospects who sign, but Romero, who played with Mexico City, offers an intriguing skill set. He’s 5-foot-11 and has shown feel for hitting from the left side and a good approach for 17 with a hit-over-power profile. He’s also shown improved athleticism and good aptitude defensively, where his feet and hands work well.