The Reds have long embraced a philosophy of building around athletic players with loud tools but real questions about how much they’ll hit. Elly De La Cruz is the blueprint — an explosive athlete who has hit enough to become a star. Whether Steele Hall, Tyson Lewis, and Justin Lebron can hit enough to follow in his footsteps remains the open question.
That’s not the case with Alfredo Duno, their top prospect. He looks like the real deal and is getting close to helping in Cincinnati. I’d expect him to join the big‑league club at some point in 2027, with a chance to develop into one of the best catchers in the game.
Prospect Snapshot
- Top Prospect: Alfredo Duno
- Biggest Mover: Hector Rodriguez
- Biggest Disappointment: Cam Collier
- Emerging Prospect: Eider Gutiérrez
1. Alfredo Duno (C)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 10 Catcher
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Elite power catcher with patience, contact ability, and Top‑10 fantasy catcher upside.
The Reds pushed Alfredo Duno — their prized 2023 international signee — straight to High‑A to open 2026, and he delivered a .260/.390/.512 line with 16 home runs. He finished the season in Double‑A, posting a very similar stat line.
His carrying tool is 70‑grade power, supported by plenty of natural leverage that should translate to 30‑plus home runs at maturity. There’s some swing‑and‑miss, but his approach is advanced for his age; he’s consistently posted strong walk rates, including 16% this season. He makes enough quality contact that a .250–.260 annual average is a reasonable expectation rather than wishful thinking.
Fantasy managers should view Duno as one of the premier catching prospects in the minors. Now in Double‑A, he has a realistic chance to reach the Majors in 2027. His ceiling sits comfortably inside the Top 10 at the position—with room for more if the hit tool continues to sharpen.
2. Steele Hall (SS)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Middle Infielder with upside
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Elite tools with real upside, but contact questions remain the key variable.
Steele Hall, the Reds’ first‑round pick in 2025 (ninth overall), opened 2026 in the Arizona Complex League rather than Low‑A. The decision wasn’t surprising: Hall is an excellent athlete and a plus defender with real bat speed, but amateur evaluators consistently questioned his ability to hit, particularly his ability to recognize spin. Giving him a slower on‑ramp made sense.
He was one of the best performers at the level, posting a .288/.387/.518 slash line with 10 home runs and 24 stolen bases. The effort earned him a promotion to Low‑A to end the season, and against better pitching he struck out at a 32% rate. It was a small sample, but the pre‑draft concerns came rushing back.
Fantasy managers should take the long view. Hall’s defense and athleticism give him a strong foundation for a lengthy MLB career, and if the power continues to develop, he has impact upside. He does remind me of Carson Williams — which I know might make fantasy managers cringe — but every player is different, and the wild card is always how much a player will hit. High‑ceiling prospects like this belong on minor‑league rosters, even if patience is required.
3. Justin Lebron (SS, #18)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS with risk
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Elite tools with big upside, but hit tool remains major risk.
Justin Lebron is a toolsy college shortstop who hit 16 home runs and stole an impressive 42 bases — fifth‑most in all of Division I in 2026. While his strikeout rate was a manageable 17%, there are real questions about how much he’ll hit, as his approach showed clear chase tendencies and he walked only 9%. Still, the tools appear very real.
The Reds aggressively assigned him to High-A after he was drafted, and he responded. In 23 games, he posted a .292/.346/.594 slash line with an impressive eight home runs and five stolen bases. He struck out 27% of the time and walked 8% of the time.
Lebron has the kind of skill set fantasy managers should crave: a legitimate 70‑grade runner with 60‑grade power that could grow as he continues to fill out. His success in the SEC provides meaningful validation that the tools can translate against elite competition. The risk is high, but so is the reward. He’ll be a divisive player in FYPDs — with a ceiling that could push him into the Top 3 (think Konnor Griffin), but if he doesn’t hit, the outcome could look more like Khalil Watson.
4. Tyson Lewis (SS/3B)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS/3B with contact risk
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Elite raw tools with extreme swing‑and‑miss risk and massive variance.
Tyson Lewis is one of the most toolsy players in the Reds system, posting average exit velocities around 92 mph with peaks at 113 mph. In 2025, there were unverified reports of him touching 119 mph. Whether or not that number is real, the takeaway is simple: he hits the ball very hard. Combine that with true 80‑grade speed, and you get one of the most explosive tool sets in the minors.
What isn’t explosive — at least not in a good way — is the strike‑zone judgment. In 2026, Lewis struck out at an alarming 31.5% clip with an extremely aggressive approach (6% walk rate). History is not kind to A‑ball hitters with that combination of swing‑and‑miss and chase. The tools are intoxicating, and I’m as drawn to them as anyone, but at some point he has to make enough contact to let them play.
Fantasy managers should treat Lewis as a classic high‑variance upside play. He brings to mind O’Neil Cruz during his climb through the lower minors: huge tools, huge whiffs, and the potential to make it work if the BABIP cooperates. Cruz still strikes out over a third of the time in the majors, yet the raw ability allows him to remain productive. Lewis could follow a similar path. For now, I’m betting on the tools and hoping the hit tool catches up.
5. Hector Rodriguez (OF)
- Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 60 OF
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Power bat with upside, but extreme chase rates threaten long‑term everyday role.
Hector Rodriguez broke out in 2025 and carried that momentum into 2026 and all the way to the Major Leagues. There are flaws in his game for sure, but the power and a bit of speed give him plenty of allure.
He’s always been an aggressive hitter, but he’s consistently made strong contact. His chase rates were among the worst in the minor leagues, and that continued during his brief MLB stint. It’s something he needs to improve, or he’ll never reach his ceiling — a sub‑.300 OBP simply won’t work long‑term.
Power remains the carrying tool. Rodriguez hits the ball hard and is lifting it more, giving him a realistic path to 20–25 home runs annually once he fully matures. He’s an average runner and should chip in double‑digit steals early in his career.
For fantasy managers, Rodriguez profiles as a 20–25 home run bat with a solid batting average but real OBP risk. If he hits .260, he likely lands around a .310 OBP, which should be enough for full‑time at‑bats. But he’s right on the edge — one bad BABIP stretch and he’s under .300, which pushes him into extra‑bat territory. Improve the chase rate and he’s a No. 3 outfielder; stay where he is and he’s more of a depth piece.
6. Aaron Watson (RHP)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2028-30 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP with upside
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Ground‑ball machine with plus slider and mid‑rotation upside potential.
Aaron Watson was the Reds’ second‑round pick in the 2025 Draft (No. 51 overall), signing for $850,000 over slot. He was assigned to the Arizona Complex League to begin his professional career in 2026 and performed well, posting a 3.58 ERA with 36 strikeouts and only seven walks in 27.2 innings. He was hittable — giving up 36 hits — but still finished the season in Low‑A, where he posted an ugly 10.45 ERA in 3 appearances.
He’s a sinker‑slider pitcher, with the sinker getting tremendous downward action that prevents hitters from elevating the ball. He posted an impressive 62% ground‑ball rate. His slider is his primary out pitch and projects as at least a plus offering. The changeup is still a work in progress, but assuming it develops into an average pitch, when you combine the arsenal with his ability to throw strikes, there’s a lot to like.
Fantasy managers should view Watson as a young, volatile pitcher with some upside, particularly as he adds strength and begins to throw harder. While there’s a wide variance in outcomes, the overall package gives him the ceiling of a solid mid‑rotation starter — maybe more.
7. Eric Becker (SS, #58)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Middle Infielder with upside
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Contact‑driven infielder needing swing tweaks to unlock meaningful fantasy power.
Eric Becker was the Reds’ second‑round pick in the 2026 draft (No. 58 overall). He’s a hit‑first player who makes excellent contact, and because he can put the bat on almost anything, he’ll sometimes expand the strike zone and produce weaker contact. He has solid bat speed and an 88 mph average exit velocity, but his swing is built for contact, and his over‑the‑fence production has lagged behind the rest of his skill set. He’s an average runner, so stolen bases aren’t expected to be a meaningful part of his profile.
The Reds aggressively assigned Becker to High‑A, and he did the opposite of his scouting report. He was overly aggressive with a lot of swing‑and‑miss in his game. He did hit three home runs, but he also posted a 46% ground‑ball rate. It was a small sample size, and I’m not ready to change the draft scouting report.
Even so, Becker’s bat‑to‑ball ability gives him a strong chance at a Major League future. Whether he becomes a fantasy asset will depend on whether he can tweak his swing to unlock more home‑run power. If he does, projecting 18–20 homers with a high batting average is reasonable. He’ll likely need to move to second base, where the profile fits better — though that shift will place even more pressure on the bat to produce.
8. Mulivai Levu (1B, #70)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2028-29 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 20 1B
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Strong first‑base bat with 20‑plus power and promising hit traits.
Mulivai Levu (pronounced Moo‑lee‑VY Luh‑VOO) was the Reds’ competitive balance pick in the 2026 draft (No. 70 overall) after an impressive three‑year career at UCLA. In his draft year, he hit .340 with 18 home runs while walking as much as he struck out. He’s a big kid at 6‑foot‑1 and at least 205 pounds, and he’s likely to remain at first base.
At the MLB Combine, his exit velocity ranked in the upper third of participants, and he received high marks during his bat‑control drills. The Reds assigned him to Low-A after signing him, where he only hit .218 in 21 games.
With first base thin across the minor leagues, Levu is an interesting target in FYPDs. The raw skills point to 20–25 home runs, and with his feel to hit, he could also post solid batting‑average and OBP numbers. He’s the type of player I’d look to grab in the fourth or fifth round.
9. Jirvin Morillo (C)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2029-30 Fantasy Ceiling: Second catcher with upside
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Power‑first, patient catcher with three‑true‑outcome profile and playing‑time upside.
Jirvin Morillo signed with the Reds in January 2024 for a $420,000 bonus. He was a DSL repeater — not uncommon for a young catcher — before beginning the 2026 season in the Arizona Complex League. He put up excellent numbers there, posting a .321/.449/.652 slash line with 13 home runs. The strikeouts were high (26%), but his 13 homers led the circuit. He finished the season in Low‑A, hitting .260 in 22 games.
Morillo’s offensive game is built around hitting the ball a long way. He has plus bat speed and an elevated swing path. The swing can get long, and with that angle, the strikeouts will always be higher than you’d like — but he’s also walked a ton at every level. In fact, he’s too patient at times and could benefit from being more aggressive.
Defensively, he’s solid, with an above‑average arm and good underlying metrics.
Morillo is an intriguing fantasy option thanks to the plus power and high OBP profile. He’s going to strike out plenty, but being a switch‑hitting catcher carries real weight for playing time. He likely develops into a three‑true‑outcome bat with 20‑home‑run power and even a few early‑career steals.
10. Cam Collier (1B)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Corner Infielder with platoon risk
- Last Updated: 10/13/2026
- Tools Summary: Strong‑side platoon power bat with first‑base lean and real AB risk.
Cam Collier was the Reds’ first‑round pick in 2022. After the draft, the organization made it clear they believed he had the tools to be their third baseman of the future. Things seemed to be trending that way after a breakout 2024 season in which he hit 20 home runs with a .248 average and .355 OBP. In 2025, he injured his thumb, and the Reds attributed his down power output to that setback. In 2026, he’s shown more pop (18 home runs), but he’s also become more aggressive at the plate, with a strikeout rate of 26% and significant chase in his approach.
Four years after he was drafted, Collier’s outlook is far less certain. He has plenty of bat speed, and his exit velocities support 20‑plus home run power, but he’s not very athletic, and a move to first base looks increasingly likely. He’s also shown severe platoon splits, with all of his power coming against right‑handed pitching.
Fantasy managers need to recalibrate expectations. Collier is looking more like a strong‑side platoon first baseman who could pop 20 home runs if given the opportunity. I’ve set his ceiling as a corner‑infield option, but there’s significant at‑bat risk given his struggles against lefties.
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