Starting spots for Reds' Top 30 prospects

With the 2019 Minor League Baseball season getting underway, here's a look at where the Reds' Top 30 prospects are starting the year. We also identify the prospect who just missed the Top 30 list, a player who didn't make the big league Opening Day roster but should make an impact this year, a prospect who is ready to break out in 2019 and the team's best defensive prospect.

1) Nick Senzel (MLB No. 6), 3B -- Louisville Bats (AAA) - IL
2) Taylor Trammell (MLB No. 16), OF -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
3) Hunter Greene (MLB No. 31), RHP -- Out for season -- Tommy John surgery
4) Jonathan India (MLB No. 52), 3B -- Daytona Tortugas (A Adv)
5) Antonio Santillan, RHP -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
6) Tyler Stephenson, C -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
7) Mike Siani, OF -- Dayton Dragons (A)
8) Vladimir Gutierrez, RHP -- Louisville Bats (AAA)
9) Jose Israel Garcia, SS -- Daytona Tortugas (A Adv)
10) Jose Siri, OF -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
11) Lyon Richardson, RHP -- Dayton Dragons (A)
12) Jacob Heatherly, LHP -- Dayton Dragons (A)
13) TJ Friedl, OF -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
14) Stuart Fairchild, OF -- Daytona Tortugas (A Adv)
15) Scott Moss, LHP -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
16) Michael Beltre, OF -- Extended spring training -- rehab
17) Keury Mella, RHP -- Louisville Bats (AAA)
18) Jimmy Herget, RHP -- Louisville Bats (AAA)
19) Mariel Bautista, OF -- Dayton Dragons (A)
20) James Marinan, RHP -- Dayton Dragons (A)
21) Packy Naughton, LHP -- Daytona Tortugas (A Adv)
22) Andy Sugilio, OF -- Daytona Tortugas (A Adv)
23) Hendrik Clementina, C -- Daytona Tortugas (A Adv)
24) Bren Spillane, 1B -- Dayton Dragons (A)
25) Ibandel Isabel, 1B -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
26) Joel Kuhnel, RHP -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
27) Ryan Hendrix, RHP -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
28) Jonathan Willems, 2B -- Dayton Dragons (A)
29) Alfredo Rodriguez, SS -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
30) Chris Okey, C -- Louisville Bats (AAA)
Complete list »

Just missed Top 30: Jared Solomon
The Reds went over slot in the 11th round of the 2017 Draft to sign Solomon out of Lackawanna Junior College in Pennsylvania and he made it to full-season ball in his first full year. He has the potential to have at least a three-, if not four-pitch mix, but delivery and command issues makes him better suited for the bullpen, where his fastball-slider combination could play up.

On the shelf: Hunter Greene
The hope was that Hunter Greene would be able to get back to competitive pitching with rest and rehab after he was shut down last July with an elbow strain. When he suffered a setback in March in Arizona, it was announced he would have Tommy John surgery in early April and would miss all of 2019.

Impact prospect: Nick Senzel
The ankle injury will set him back, but once he’s 100 percent, the Reds likely won’t hesitate to bring him up after a strong spring where he looked solid in center field. After Senzel, Vladimir Gutierrez could be a pitcher asked to pitch in (pun intended) when there’s a need in Cincinnati. He’ll show glimpses of three plus pitches and if he can find a level of consistency, he should get the chance to show what he can do in the big leagues soon.

Breakout prospect: Mariel Bautista
It’s taken Bautista a little while to get going, having signed back in November 2014, but things started to click in the Rookie-level Pioneer League last year. He’s always shown a feel for hitting, with batting averages routinely over .300 thanks to innate contact skills and a solid approach. Strength gains allowed him to start impacting the ball more last year (.927 OPS), with more power to come in 2019.

Best defensive prospect: Mike Siani
The Reds' fourth-round pick got first-round money to sign because of his all-around tools. But his defensive skills have long stood out, and he might have been the best defensive outfielder in the 2018 Draft class, with the ability to cover a ton of ground in center and an arm that allowed him to throw low-90s fastballs from the mound in high school.