Reds No. 22 prospect posts rare 20-50 season in the Minors

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CINCINNATI -- Entering Wednesday, Reds outfield prospect Blake Dunn had 23 home runs and 54 stolen bases in 2023 combined with High-A Daytona and Double-A Chattanooga.

In the last 30 years, these are the players who have had "20-50" seasons in the Minor Leagues:

Andruw Jones (1995 and '96)
Anthony Volpe (2022)
Blake Dunn (2023)
Ryan Bliss (2023)
Jonatan Clase (2023)

That's it.

Jones was a five-time All-Star outfielder who is trending towards election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Volpe debuted at shortstop this season for the Yankees.

“I think the thing that’s really cool about it is [Dunn] has both of the impact tools," Reds vice president of player development Shawn Pender said. "If you can run and you’ve got enough pop to be dangerous, you start to put yourself in a different category in our game. Speed is becoming more and more important with the way they’re playing the game at the big league level.

"Having that and the ability to drive the ball -- with his athleticism -- really jumps out as a key ingredient in making him a very strong prospect.”

Dunn, 25, is ranked as Cincinnati's No. 22 prospect by MLB Pipeline. He was the club's 15th-round selection in the 2021 Draft, but injuries limited him to just 48 games over his first two seasons. As a later-round pick, chances often dry up more quickly than they might for a high-round pick with a big bonus.

With a healthy year, the right-handed-hitting Dunn was able to stay on the radar.

“I think what we’re seeing is this kid’s natural ability and it just took a while to work through the injuries and the lack of consistent playing time because of those injuries," Pender said. “All of which were about his aggressiveness. It wasn’t like a hamstring. It was collisions, sliding and all the things you’d expect from a guy who gets after it."

Over 47 games with Dayton, Dunn batted .276 with an .871 OPS, eight homers, 27 RBIs and 19 steals. Promoted in June, he came into Wednesday batting .337 with a .998 OPS, 15 homers, 52 RBIs and 35 steals.

"He’s always been a very fine defender, a very good baserunner and an outstanding teammate," Pender said. "Offensively, you have to like the swing. He’s got bat speed. He’s got hand strength. One of the things he’s really started to show as he's gotten to the higher levels is recognizing his strike zone, making pitchers come to him and not chasing. Sometimes that’s easier at Double-A. Although pitchers have good stuff at Double-A, they also tend to be around the plate a little more than what you get in A-ball.”

Put it all together, and Dunn has come into his own at the right time in the Reds' system.

"He’s a very good athlete and has performed very well," Pender said.