Travieso's development impresses Price

Reds' No. 9 prospect likely to start season at Double-A

March 5th, 2016

MESA, Ariz. -- This is the second big league camp for Reds pitching prospect Nick Travieso, the organization's first pick from the 2012 Draft. Manager Bryan Price has been pleased with the development since he last had eyes on Travieso in 2015.
"He's a stud. This kid cannot just pitch, he believes in his stuff," Price said on Saturday before Travieso started a 'B' game vs. the White Sox at the team complex in Goodyear. "He just doesn't back down to people. When you have to try to teach guys or lead guys toward confidence or toughness, that's a challenge. He doesn't lack confidence or trust in his stuff."
Travieso pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed three earned runs, three hits and three walks with one strikeout in the five-inning game.

The 22-year-old Travieso, the Reds' No. 9 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, is the second-youngest player in camp, behind Jose Peraza.
Last season in 19 starts for Class A Advanced Daytona, Travieso was 6-6 with a 2.70 ERA. Over 93 1/3 innings, he gave up 82 hits and 30 walks with 76 strikeouts and a 1.20 WHIP. He missed about six weeks with a fractured right wrist after he was struck by a line drive.
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Following the season, Travieso pitched in the Arizona Fall League and had a 2.05 ERA in five games.
"He's a combination of a makeup guy with great stuff," Price said. "Going to the Fall League I think was a big boost to play against more advanced players, and I think the benefit of that could mean he could start the year in Double-A and we don't have to be as cautious with him throughout the course of the year. He's a mature young guy, a great worker and a terrific competitor. I think he's a guy that now that he's a little bit older can probably make some quick jumps."
More notes from Saturday
• Raisel Iglesias threw 40 pitches in the bullpen and is moving closer to making his spring debut in the middle of this month. Iglesias started behind schedule following an offseason shoulder conditioning program, but the right-hander is still expected to be ready in time for the regular season.
"It'll give him five starts, and we should be able to get him where he needs to be by the time we need him, which the first date, I think, would be the 10th of April," Price said.
• Homer Bailey (Tommy John surgery rehab) had his sixth bullpen session, and he also threw 40 pitches. Bailey is expected to be ready for the Reds in May.
• The Reds have used several players from Minor League camp in the early games, some who were drafted in June.
"These guys are in their first Spring Training in professional baseball, and their first Spring Training at-bat is in a Cactus League game. How does that happen?" Price said. "All we need is for one of these guys to make the team."
• One of the Minor Leaguers to play Thursday and Friday was third baseman Brantley Bell, son of former Reds bench coach Jay Bell.
"Brantley was playing junior-college baseball at this time last year, and he's already got eight innings of Cactus League play under his belt in his first Spring Training," Price said.