2020 Red Reporter Community Prospect Rankings: Joel Kuhnel Is #15!

The 2020 Community Prospect Rankings is beginning to wane in the quarter stretch, and it couldn’t really come too soon. One, the interest of this writer is starting to ebb and so is the interest of the voters. Yesterday, we received 112 votes overall compared to the 1,000+ we received on day one. I don’t really blame you. Jameson Hannah and Ivan Johnson have been stuck a bit on this list, especially Hannah, so you will get another kind of boring prospect to vote for. Giddy up!

Jameson Hannah, 22, OF

Highest 2019 Level: A+ Daytona

Eye-Poppingest Fact: .339 OBP. Good Defense.

Most Worrisome Fact: No Power. None

Alias(es): Irish Whiskey, Hannah Barbera,

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Jameson Hannah came to the Reds in return for the titan that was Tanner Roark. Actually, if you think about it Hannah is a pretty good return. I think he was a Top 10 prospect in the A’s organization and slots just about right there for the Reds. Hannah is one of those high floor, low ceilings guys. He’s stable but not anything super exciting. He gets on base. He play solid defense. He can get the bat on the ball. He slashed .274/.339/.369 for 2019 playing exclusively at A+. Though, he did only steal eight bases and was caught eight times.

Scouts also aren’t that low on him right now. Even though he hasn’t hit well, he grades out with a 45 power grade. He also has a supposed 55 grade hit tool. All of these should make Hannah a more intriguing player going forward. As of right now he looks like a 4th OF candidate but one that should stick in CF because of his athleticism. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll make some kind of gigantic leap in AA.

Ivan Johnson, 21, SS/2B

Highest 2019 Level: Rookie (Greeneville)

Eye-Poppingest Fact: .255/.327/.415 slash line with six dinger and 11 steal.

Most Worrisome Fact: Probably can’t play short stop. Not flashy.

Alias(es): Ivan The Terrible, Ivana Johnson, Russianwurst

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Ivan Johnson was drafted in the 4th round of the 2019 draft out of community college. He’s a guy that was signed slightly under slot, about 100k, which helped sign Tyler Callihan and Rece Hinds. But, don’t let that fact fool you about Ivan Johnson. He’s a fun prospect in his own right. He is a guy that can play the middle infielder and is considered a higher floor prospect due to the belief that he can hit. In his first season of pro ball, he did show that he has some plate discipline and power in his bat. He also played at a level that was honestly pretty realistic coming out of community college. You’d like to see a better average but it was a good showing.

The problems with Johnson come from the idea that he’s rather boring. He grades out decently well as a hitter up the middle, but his defense doesn’t really play at short stop. He didn’t even play short stop in community college because they had a better defender than him. Luckily, he seems to be a very coachable kid and was willing to go to second. His bat should help him continue to grow, but we’ll have to see how he matures from year to year. Maybe he’ll start the year in Dayton but that could also be too aggressive. The downside in his development is his age. How patient are the Reds going to have to be?

TJ Friedl, 24, OF

Highest 2019 Level: AA (Chattanooga)

Eye-Poppingest Fact: .347 OBP

Most Worrisome Fact: .235 BA, .150 ISO

Alias(es): TJ Of The Hill People, You Got a Friedl In Me

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You know who TJ Friedl is. He’s the guy that in 2016 no one knew was able to be drafted. He was like a 2nd round talent. It was a big deal. He wowed scouts in some Summer All-Star game things and the Reds were literally the one team that had the most money left after the draft, with the most pool space, to offer him the most money. He accepted, naturally. Since then, Friedl has been manning center field at multiple minor league levels for the Reds. He’s had some pretty good seasons but hasn’t been the most exciting of prospects overall. He’s very, what’s a good way to put this, normal. For that reason he’s been sliding down prospect lists the last couple years.

Friedl can play all three outfield positions. He has an advanced approach at the plate, posting walk numbers around 10% and strikeout numbers below 20%. So, for a guy that has little power at least he can get on base. He also runs well but hasn’t been real prolific in stealing bases in the minors. Scouts don’t really love any of his tools outside of his speed, range, and glove. He has below average contact skills, power, and arm. If his arm is bad enough that could keep him from playing center which greatly diminishes his value. As of right now he looks like a good 4th outfielder that can get on base and pinch run. He has posted a wRC+ over 100 every single year but one. So, maybe there is more than meets the eye.