Castellanos HRs in Reds' first intrasquad game

CINCINNATI -- The rules were occasionally fluid on Wednesday, but the Reds played an organized game for the first time since returning to Great American Ball Park for Summer Camp.

In a three-inning controlled scrimmage, the gray-pants-wearing Reds defeated the white pants squad, 2-0, on Nick Castellanos’ two-run home run in the top of the third inning.

“I would say tomorrow there will be more innings,” Reds manager David Bell said. “It’s pretty much starting.”

Defensively, the teams employed right-side shifts on left-handed hitters. A coach served as the home-plate umpire from behind a screen stationed outside of the dirt.

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Anthony DeSclafani retired all four batters he faced in the top of the first inning (he was given an extra batter to reach his desired pitch count) and allowed Curt Casali’s two-out single in the second inning. Before the top of the third, they mimicked the new extra-innings rule by starting with Alex Blandino on second base. There were two outs when Castellanos hit an opposite-field drive that traveled just enough over the right-field fence.

Lucas Sims pitched for the visiting team and gave up one hit to Tucker Barnhart and the first of Joey Votto’s two walks. Non-roster invitee Nate Jones pitched the bottom of the third inningand locked down the short game.

“That’s a 'dub,'” Jesse Winker yelled from left field after the final out, meaning a "W."

Shogo Akiyama saw his first game action at Great American Ball Park, playing center field for the home team. Akiyama, a free agent signed from Japan, was 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. But the experience was still positive.

“I enjoyed it, being able to hit and be on the field out in center,” Akiyama said via translator Luke Shinoda. “It was easy to imagine being able to play games here."

Hitters playing catch up

During the game, and the last couple of days of pitchers facing hitters in live batting practice, there’s been very little hard contact made. Bell wasn’t too concerned, however, as the July 24 opener vs. the Tigers approaches.

“This is a very important part of the process,” Bell said. “If it was a normal Spring Training, guys would start trying to get locked in at this point in the camp. The difference is we’re still at the beginning of this camp. It has to happen fast. I do believe that right now, and maybe up until Opening Day, the pitchers are going to be a little bit ahead of the hitters. But we have to do everything we can to overcome that, offensively.

“It’s really hard to recreate the live at-bats for the hitters before they got here. That’s kind of what we’re seeing, but nothing out of the ordinary or unexpected. Guys are definitely getting their work in.”

Prasco Park gets rave reviews

The 22 players stationed at the Reds’ alternate workout site in Mason, Ohio, had the day off Wednesday. But several were on hand at GABP for the scrimmage, including catchers Tyler Stephenson and Francisco Peña.

Nearly one week into Summer Camp, the reviews from the Prasco Park site have been positive.

“It’s a beautiful facility. It’s private,” Bell said. “It really has everything we need and it’s close enough to be able to go back and forth.

How does the field compare to other ballparks?

“I spoke to the infielders the other day when I was there, and the coaches, and they said it’s just in incredible shape,” Bell said. “The grass was a little bit thicker than it is at Great American Ball Park, but the way they care for it, it’s just in pristine condition and comparable to, for sure, any Minor League facility in baseball.”

Chris Tremie, a field coordinator on the organization’s player development side, is running the workouts at Prasco Park. The facility has a main stadium with natural grass and a second field with a synthetic surface. There are four bullpen mounds in the stadium -- although only one on each side is being utilized because of distancing concerns. There are batting cages, multiple clubhouses, an air-conditioned tent for coaches’ space and more.

“Because of the way it’s set up, it actually allows us to do a little bit more and not have as many challenges of dealing with one field and maybe two bullpens,” Tremie said. “Having the two fields and multiple cages, multiple areas to work and being spread out kind of fits the criteria for what we’re in right now, ironically.”

The home of the Cincinnati Spikes, an amateur travel team, Prasco Park is on the corporate campus of Prasco Laboratories -- a pharmaceutical company. It holds 1,400 fans but held 2,500 when Xavier hosted the Big East Tournament three years ago. There is the potential to expand the seating even more.

There is also a press box and concession stands, where the food and drinks are always free.

"Personally, having a Major League Baseball organization here, I could have never imagined that when we built it on 2008,” said Phil Arington, the head of Prasco Laboratories and the Spikes’ founder. “We don’t know if we’ll ever get a chance for another Major League Baseball team to come work out. We pray that things get back to normal -- but just in case we want to ready.”