2015 Community Prospect Rankings: Aristides Aquino is Your #11 Prospect!

Oh, good, you guys decided to make a vote with a wide enough margin that I didn't have to write this in the morning.  Aristides Aquino shocked you with his raw power in Billings last year, and his name will make you giggle.  He has drawn comparisons to the great Vlad Guererro.  While that may be a bit premature, Aquino shows the power, contact, and outfield skills that scouts drool over.  He is a raw prospect, but should get his chance to prove his ranking in Dayton this year.  If you are a little sore over this ranking, remember that a lot of the "experts" are putting Aquino high on their lists as well.  On to the rest.

Jonathon Crawford, 23, SP

Highest 2014 Level: Low-A (West Michigan)
Eye-Poppingest Fact: 1.163 WHIP, 2.85 ERA in 123.0 IP
Most Worrisome Fact: 6.2 K/9 and 1.70 K/BB ratio
Alias(es): Johnny Crawfish, Crawdaddy, Johnny Crawson

Jonathon Crawford was the 1st round (20th overall) pick of the Detroit Tigers in the 2013 draft.  A product of the University of Florida Gators, there are some questions if Crawford can stick in the rotation.  He has a power arm with an easy mid 90's fastball, and can dial it up to 98 if needed.  He also throws a potential plus slider, and is working on a changeup.  What scouts do not like is his unrepeatable delivery that makes it hard for him to finish his pitches, particularly his slider.  This makes some scouts believe that he is a reliever, but has the potential to be a shut down closer.  Crawford has pitched well in the minors, but struggled to put batters away via the strikeout in single A West Michigan.  Expect the Reds to give him every opportunity to start, but at the age of 23 his fastest route to the majors would be through the bullpen.

Alex Blandino, 22, INF

Highest 2014 Level: Low-A (Dayton)
Eye-Poppingest Fact: 12.2 BB% and .218 ISO in 131 PA's in Billings
Most Worrisome Fact: 27.6 K% in 152 PA's in Single A Dayton
Alias(es): The Great Blandino, Alexander The Great, Blandiyes

Alex Blandino was the 29th overall pick of the 2014 draft out of Stanford University.  He was considered a well polished prospect, with good offensive potential, and a rather safe pick.  The big question about his game is if he can stick at shortstop.  He played little of the position in college, but the Reds look determined to see if he can hack it.  Blandino made the most out of his opportunities in 2014, signing quickly, and getting in 283 PA's at two level.  Blandino dominated the Pioneer league with a .309/.412/.527 line.  He regressed when he was promoted to Dayton, but still put up a respectable .261/.329/.440 line.  I want to believe he was tiring towards the end of the year causing the spike in strikeouts.  Want to see something cool?  Look at his counting stats.

Daniel Corcino, 24, SP

Highest 2014 Level: MLB (Cincinnati)
Eye-Poppingest Fact: 4.13 ERA in AA.
Most Worrisome Fact: 1.61 K/BB in AA.
Alias(es): 'Lil Cueto, Cuetinho

Daniel Corcino had one of those seasons that make you scratch your head.  His 2013 was abysmal, so the Reds had him go back down to AA for 2014.  He pitched decently well with a 4.13 ERA in 143.2 innings pitched.  His K/BB ratio was below two.  His walks were too high, and his strikes too low.  To be honest, he was probably surviving from a low BABIP.  He pitched a few innings at AAA, but then was a September call up to the Reds.  He would pitch 18.2 innings with a 4.34 ERA in 3 starts and 2 relief appearances.  His rate stats were basically the same in Cincinnati compared to Pensacola, albeit with a short sample size.  Corcino has all the tools to be a very good pitcher with a mid 90's fastball and a very promising slider, but it is all about putting it together.

Jon Moscot, 23, SP

Highest 2014 Level: AAA (Louisville)
Eye-Poppingest Fact: 3.13 ERA at Pensacola in 2014
Most Worrisome Fact: 6.5 K/9 in 2014
Alias(es): Gopper

With a wealth of right-handed starting pitching prospects in the organization, it's easy to forget about Jon Moscot.  The former 4th-round pick has climbed the organizational ladder all the way from rookie ball to AAA in just two and a half seasons.  This season saw his strikeouts drop to an all-time low of 6.5 K/9 in 2014 from 8.6 K/9 in 2013, which is worrisome, but he was also able to lower his walk rate to 2.7 BB/9 on the year.  Moscot doesn't have a huge arm, but his control is above average, and he commands 4 pitches.  He'll likely start the season in Louisville, with a chance of getting a call-up should the Reds need a starting pitcher at some point this season.

Kyle Waldrop, 23, OF

Highest 2014 Level: AA (Pensacola)
Eye-Poppingest Fact: .902 OPS across 2 levels in 2014
Most Worrisome Fact: .432 BABIP in A+, .357 in AA
Alias(es): NASCAR; From the Window to the Waldop

A 2010 12th-rounder out of high school, Kyle Waldrop has gradually improved his game and enjoyed a breakout 2014 season in which he smacked 55 extra-base hits between Bakersfield and Pensacola. Waldrop's got big raw power, and started hitting to all fields this past season. His success may partially be attributed to an unsustainable BABIP, particularly the .432 mark in A+, though he maintained a .315/.359/.517 slash in 252 PA after his promotion to Pensacola despite a more realistic .357 BABIP. He's not known for his defensive prowess, however, limiting his future role to LF or 1B, both of which appear to be taken by the #1 prospect on the list and some Canadian, respectively, but he certainly has the potential to be a major league contributor. It'll be interesting to see how much of his success was luck driven, and he could stand to walk a bit more, but Waldrop made tangible strides this year and looks to build on it. He's definitely one to keep an eye on going forward.

Seth Mejias-Brean, 23, 3B/INF

Highest 2014 Level: AA (Pensacola)
Eye-Poppingest Fact: 14.1% BB% in A+ and 12.1% BB% in AA
Most Worrisome Fact: .088 ISO in 265 AA plate appearances.
Alias(es): Three Brean Casserole, Seth Matthews Band, Brean Burrito

Seth Mejias-Brean actually came in at #11 on our list last year, and did nothing to disappoint this year making it to AA after destroying the California League.  Mejias-Brean doesn't have the highest ceiling, but does have a high floor making him a safe bet to have some kind of career in Cincinnati.  Seth brings outstanding defense, a polished approach at the plate, good contact skills and a little bit of pop to the field every day.  If you are worried about his AA numbers chalk it up to a low BABIP and ISO.  His walk and strikeout rates were still pretty dang good.  He will be 24 to start the season, so hopefully he can move fast.  He's exactly the kind of bench bat the Reds are sorely missing.