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Cincinnati Reds future looks bright after MLB Trade Deadline

By Brody Hilgenkamp

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Now that you’ve had the night to catch your breath, I think it’s safe to analyze the winners and losers of Major League Baseball’s absurd trade deadline.

Don’t think it was crazy…look a this. Former Detroit Tigers outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was shipped to the Mets with just minutes to spare. The Toronto Blue Jays added a huge bat in Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and an ace in former Tigers pitcher David Price. The Royals became World Series favorites be adding Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist. Cole Hamels is the new ace of the Texas Rangers. Should I continue?

Most of those acquisitions have the 2015 major league rosters in mind. The less sexy angle to the trade deadline is how these trades impact the franchises in the future, considering almost every deal involved minor league prospects; The Tigers replenished a barren farm system; the Rockies got three pitching prospects; and the Phillies now have a loaded cupboard.

The true future winner of this draft was the Cincinnati Reds. They traded away Cueto and fellow pitcher Mike Leake to the Royals and Giants, respectively, and got quite a haul in return. Consider the prospects they’ve added over the past few days:

Keury Mella

was one of the best pitching prospects in the Giants system and was pitching well in High-A San Jose, posting a 3.31 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 16 starts.

More from MLB Prospects

  • Adam Duvall has combined to hit 53 home runs in the minors over the last two seasons and becomes the Reds’ best power hitting prospect.
  • Cody Reed had a combined 2.53 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 96 innings in the Royals system. His K/BB ratio was 3.23.
  • John Lamb was 9-1 with a 2.67 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 3.31 K/BB in 17 starts for the Omaha Storm Chasers in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and even though he struggled in his first start in the Reds system, Lamb is a good rotation candidate in the future.
  • We haven’t seen a definitive look of what Brandon Finnegan is supposed to be because he’s been shuttled back and forth between Omaha and Kansas City all season and has both started and relieved. But he will be an impact pitcher once he settles into a role—just ask players who had the misfortune to hit against him during the pennant chase last season.

    • The Phillies and Tigers could argue that their futures look the brightest after the 2015 trade deadline, but with the amount and caliber of prospects, plus the Reds’ incumbent prospects in outfielder Jesse Winker, resurgent pitchers Robert Stephenson and Amir Garrett and the newly drafted catcher Tyler Stephenson (no relation to Robert), and the Reds might be able to compete with the Cubs, Cardinals and Pirates after all.

    All stats courtesy of MiLB.com

    Next: Detroit Tigers Rebuilt Farm System

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