Joel Kuhnel

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #19 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: A starter at Texas-Arlington, Kuhnel promptly moved to the bullpen after the Reds drafted him in the 11th round and signed him for $125,000 in 2016. He steadily climbed the minors and made his major league debut in 2019, although his control became more erratic the higher he rose.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kuhnel's main weapon is a fastball that sits 96-97 mph and can touch 100. It's a premium fastball with a high spin rate and late life in the zone, although he struggled to throw it for strikes during his brief time in the majors. Kuhnel complements his heater with a hard mid-80s slider that can hit the low-90s. Like his fastball, however, his slider plays below its velocity due to his fringy control. It's an average pitch that still ranks ahead of his rarely-used changeup, which is firm in the upper 80s and flashes average.
  
  THE FUTURE: Kuhnel should get more innings in the Reds' bullpen in 2020. His fastball will help him to stick as a seventh-inning option if he can throw it more often for strikes.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #30 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Kuhnel was an effective starter at Texas-Arlington, but the Reds immediately moved the hard-throwing, big-bodied righthander to the bullpen after drafting him. Kuhnel pitched well in the Florida State League, registering 17 saves in 20 attempts for the Daytona Tortugas. His control has always been a positive attribute, as he's walked less than 1.5 batters per nine innings for his young pro career and he walked less than two per nine in his two years at Texas-Arlington.
  
  Scouting Report: Kuhnel attacks hitters with a plus fastball that can touch 99 mph. His average fastball velocity spiked from 92 mph in 2017 to 95 mph in 2018. It plays up in the zone and has a good spin rate as well, creating some late life on the pitch. He couples his fastball with a fringy slider that has average depth. It's a harder slider that he throws in the upper 80's, but it's not a true bat-misser. His changeup grades as future average and he flashes solid average command due to a relatively compact pitching motion.
  
  The Future: A stint with Double-A Chattanooga should be in the cards for Kuhnel after having successful season in the lower minors. With his ability to throw strikes and dial up his fastball, Kuhnel has the potential to be a lower-leverage setup reliever.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #247 prospect in 2016 draft
  This massive (6-foot-5, 265 pound) righthander was the Jayhawk League's No. 1 prospect last summer and he lived up to those expectations with a solid junior season for Texas-Arlington. Kuhnel's command wavers but he has the makings of three impressive pitches with a 92-95 mph fastball that has touched 97 and he's shown he can sink it, run it and cut it. The fastball sets hitters up and his average slider finishes them off, although he has a tendency to get on the side of the pitch too much, which makes it into a sweepier offering. His changeup is a below-average pitch but it's usable against lefthanded hitters. Kuhnel missed a month of the season with shoulder soreness but he did return. His delivery isn't easy--there's effort and he lands hard, but he has a short arm action.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A starter at Texas-Arlington, Kuhnel has been a closer at every step up the ladder in the minors. In the majors, he's had a much less pressure-packed role. The Reds ourighted him off the 40-man roster after the season and he went unclaimed by the other 29 teams.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kuhnel's velocity was down a tick in 2020. He still sat around 95 mph and touched 97, but that was down from the 97-98 he regularly touched in his brief MLB stint in 2019. He has touched 100 in the minors. It may not seem like much, but Kuhnel relies on his velocity because the movement profiles of his pitches are relatively pedestrian. Righthanded hitters don't have to worry about anything running in or significantly away from them, as Kuhnel's average four-seam and two-seam fastballs both are relatively straight and his average slider has more depth than tilt. Kuhnel demonstrated above-average control in the lower minors, where his plus velocity gave hitters fits, but his command is less refined.
  
  THE FUTURE: Kuhne's big arm gives him a shot to be a low-leverage reliever. He likely will get another shot in Cincinnati in 2021, but his lack of an out pitch will likely keep him from a significant role.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A starter at Texas-Arlington, Kuhnel promptly moved to the bullpen after the Reds drafted him in the 11th round and signed him for $125,000 in 2016. He steadily climbed the minors and made his major league debut in 2019, although his control became more erratic the higher he rose.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kuhnel’s main weapon is a fastball that sits 96-97 mph and can touch 100. It’s a premium fastball with a high spin rate and late life in the zone, although he struggled to throw it for strikes during his brief time in the majors. Kuhnel complements his heater with a hard mid-80s slider that can hit the low-90s. Like his fastball, however, his slider plays below its velocity due to his fringy control. It’s an average pitch that still ranks ahead of his rarely-used changeup, which is firm in the upper 80s and flashes average.
  
  THE FUTURE: Kuhnel should get more innings in the Reds’ bullpen in 2020. His fastball will help him to stick as a seventh-inning option if he can throw it more often for strikes.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A starter at Texas-Arlington, Kuhnel promptly moved to the bullpen after the Reds drafted him in the 11th round and signed him for $125,000 in 2016. He steadily climbed the minors and made his major league debut in 2019, although his control became more erratic the higher he rose.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Kuhnel's main weapon is a fastball that sits 96-97 mph and can touch 100. It's a premium fastball with a high spin rate and late life in the zone, although he struggled to throw it for strikes during his brief time in the majors. Kuhnel complements his heater with a hard mid-80s slider that can hit the low-90s. Like his fastball, however, his slider plays below its velocity due to his fringy control. It's an average pitch that still ranks ahead of his rarely-used changeup, which is firm in the upper 80s and flashes average.
  
  THE FUTURE: Kuhnel should get more innings in the Reds' bullpen in 2020. His fastball will help him to stick as a seventh-inning option if he can throw it more often for strikes.