Reds agree to deal with fourth-ranked int’l prospect Duno

There is a group of international scouts that views catcher Alfredo Duno as the top prospect on the market.

Count the Reds among that group.

The club announced Sunday it has agreed to a deal with Duno, the No. 4-ranked prospect on the international Top 50 Prospects list.

• Signing tracker | Top 50 Prospects list | Each team's best int'l prospect

Why do scouts rave about Duno? The teen has a chance to have at least three above-average tools -- field, arm and power -- as he develops. He runs well for a catcher, and he already shows elite bat speed. There’s also a chance the righty will have plus power, and he projects to be an average hitter.

Duno, 17, is working on his swing mechanics and has some swing-and-miss tendencies because of his aggressive approach, but that’s common for teenage prospects. That said, he consistently barrels the ball and hits it hard.

On defense, he has the chance to be an elite defender because of his soft hands, flexibility and blocking skills. He can frame the ball well, shows good receiving skills and moves well laterally.

Duno has also been praised for his makeup. He trains with Angel Valladares, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program, at the VIP Academy in the Dominican Republic.

The Reds have a base signing pool of $6,366,900.

An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year -- in practical terms, that means players born between Sept. 1, 2005, and Aug. 31, 2006, will be eligible to sign in the upcoming signing period. Players have to be registered with Major League Baseball in advance in order to be eligible to sign.

Teams are allowed to trade international bonus pool money starting Jan. 15.