Senzel, Greene rep Reds on new prospect lists
CINCINNATI -- The annual midseason recalibration of Major League Baseball's top 100 prospects has been completed by MLB Pipeline, and the Reds are well represented among the elite young talent in the game.
Only the Reds can claim three players among the top 20 -- Nick Senzel, Hunter Greene and Taylor Trammell -- and they have four players in the top 100.
Senzel, an infielder with Triple-A Louisville, remains the No. 1 prospect in the organization and No. 4 overall despite the fact that he will miss the rest of the season with a right index finger injury that required surgery.
Greene, the right-handed pitcher who just threw a 102-mph fastball on Thursday for Class A Dayton, remains at No. 2 in the organization and No. 18 overall. Greene's teammate in the Sirius-XM All-Star Futures Game, and that contest's MVP, was Trammell, who is the No. 3 prospect for the Reds and No. 19 overall.
Entering the Reds' list of top 30 prospects this week are four players taken in the 2018 MLB Draft. Third baseman Jonathan India is ranked at No. 4 and outfielder Mike Siani at No. 10. India was the fifth overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, and was just promoted from Rookie-level Greeneville to Billings this week. Siani was a fourth-round selection. Pitcher Lyon Richardson, taken in the second round, is ranked 20th and Competitive Balance Round B pick, pitcher Josiah Gray is No. 21.
Peralta, Mella called up
In need of bullpen help after their relievers pitched eight innings following starter Tyler Mahle in Thursday's loss to the Phillies, the Reds recalled lefty Wandy Peralta and right-hander Keury Mella from Triple-A Louisville on Friday.
To make room on the roster, reliever Austin Brice was optioned to Louisville. Lefty reliever Kyle Crockett was designated for assignment.
"The changes we made aren't really as much based on anybody's pitching performances, as much as how much they've had to pitch," Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. "A couple of guys threw a lot of pitches, so we need to get some guys here who can give us some innings if we get into a similar situation, either tonight or tomorrow night."
Peralta posted a 6.14 ERA in 37 appearances for the Reds this season before he was optioned to Louisville on June 21. In 13 relief appearances at Triple-A, he had a 3.14 ERA with 13 hits, seven walks and 10 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings. However, his last four appearances, totaling five innings, were perfect.
"Initially when he went down, he didn't seem to be making progress there for a little while," Riggleman said. "In his last couple of weeks, they have been very promising. We're hoping that's what he brings here."
Mella was Louisville's scheduled starter on Friday, but will be available for long relief for Cincinnati. He was a September callup last season and made two relief appearances with a 6.75 ERA over four innings.
The organization's No. 12 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, Mella was 9-4 with a 3.09 ERA in 19 starts for Louisville and Double-A Pensacola this season. He was promoted to Louisville earlier this month.
"He's another young guy who has got a big arm. He's been down there refining his pitches, made a lot of progress this year," Riggleman said. "Just a quality young starter that may have to make his way here initially in the bullpen. Hopefully, he can come here and show he's here to stay."
Votto accepts Lou Gehrig Award
During pregame ceremonies, Joey Votto accepted the 2017 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, sponsored by the Phi Delta Theta international fraternity. Headquartered in Oxford, Ohio, at Miami University, Phi Delta Theta presents the award annually to a Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the giving character of Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, who was a member of the fraternity at Columbia University.
"He's someone who playing the same position, just from a professional standpoint, I have a deep admiration for him," said Votto, who was named the award winner in April. "I've read about him and looked at his career. I did my very best to do some research on him as a player and as a person.
"For him to have the grace to handle it, such an intimidating disease [ALS], I couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose your life by something that people had almost never heard of [at the time]. It in all likelihood it would be completely terrifying. That, to me, is another amazing, amazing thing that he withstood."