These Reds prospects shined in first half

This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CINCINNATI -- After an All-Star break with a few days off, it's time to get back to work. That's not just for the Reds after their exceptional first half at the big league level, but also their player development system.

Triple-A Louisville has already sent up several important prospects this season -- including Matt McLain, Brandon Williamson, Levi Stoudt, Elly De La Cruz and Andrew Abbott -- and Cincinnati has used the youth movement to spark its surge atop the National League Central Division.

What about some of their other big prospects? Several stood out during the first half of 2023. In this edition of the newsletter, I've highlighted a player from each level.

Triple-A Louisville

The Reds' No. 5-ranked prospect, corner infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand dominated offensively, leading Louisville in first-half home runs (20), RBIs (58), hits (87) and runs (62) and ranking second with a .321 average. All eyes will be on Encarnacion-Strand, who began the second half Friday by going 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI, in the coming weeks to see when his promotion to the big leagues happens.

Among other offensive statistical leaders, catcher Chuckie Robinson led the Bats in batting .327, and Michael Siani led with 54 walks and 18 steals.

Double-A Chattanooga

Right fielder Rece Hinds, who is the organization's No.14 prospect, is the Lookouts' co-leader with 13 homers and leads with 52 RBIs after he emerged from a slow start. In June, Hinds batted .378 with a 1.247 OPS and eight homers over 24 games.

However, injuries have interrupted Hinds' last couple seasons, and it happened again in 2023. He has been on the injured list since July 1 with a left hamstring strain.

High-A Dayton

Right-hander Chase Petty, the Reds' No. 6 prospect, posted a 1.53 ERA and 1.08 WHIP through nine starts in the first half and did not allow a home run. He had 39 strikeouts with nine walks over 35 1/3 innings.

Petty missed the first month of the season after suffering a right elbow strain at the end of the 2022 season. Although the organization feels he's had a successful recovery, none of Petty's 2023 starts have exceeded four innings because of an innings and pitch limit. The Reds acquired him from the Twins in the March 2022 trade for starting pitcher Sonny Gray.

Single-A Daytona

Centerfielder Hector Rodriguez, Cincinnati's No. 23 prospect, finished the first half batting .302 with a .924 OPS, a team-leading 14 homers and 44 RBIs in 69 games.