By J.J. Cooper
January 9, 2013



Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.

Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects (How to subscribe)

Pre-Order the 2013 Prospect Handbook 30 scouting reports on every team

TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Billy Hamilton, ss/of 2. Robert Stephenson, rhp 3. Tony Cingrani, lhp 4. Daniel Corcino, rhp 5. Nick Travieso, rhp 6. Jesse Winker, of 7. J.J. Hoover, rhp 8. Ismael Guillon, lhp 9. Jonathan Reynoso, of 10. Dan Langfield, rhp

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Jesse Winker Best Power Hitter Donald Lutz Best Strike Zone Discipline Josh Fellhauer Fastest Baserunner Billy Hamilton Best Athlete Billy Hamilton Best Fastball Robert Stephenson Best Curveball Robert Stephenson Best Slider Daniel Corcino Best Changeup Ismael Guillon Best Control Drew Cisco Best Defensive Catcher Tucker Barnhart Best Defensive Infielder Devin Lohman Best Infield Arm Gabriel Rosa Best Defensive OF Ryan LaMarre Best Outfield Arm Yorman Rodriguez

PROJECTED 2016 LINEUP

Catcher Devin Mesoraco First Base Joey Votto Second Base Brandon Phillips Third Base Todd Frazier Shortstop Zack Cozart Left Field Shin-Soo Choo Center Field Billy Hamilton Right Field Jay Bruce No. 1 Starter Johnny Cueto No. 2 Starter Aroldis Chapman No. 3 Starter Mat Latos No. 4 Starter Robert Stephenson No. 5 Starter Homer Bailey Closer Daniel Corcino

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Pos 2012 Org 2003 Chris Gruler, rhp Out of baseball 2004 Ryan Wagner, rhp Out of baseball 2005 Homer Bailey, rhp Reds 2006 Homer Bailey, rhp Reds 2007 Homer Bailey, rhp Reds 2008 Jay Bruce, of Reds 2009 Yonder Alonso, 1b Padres 2010 Todd Frazier, of/2b/3b Reds 2011 Aroldis Chapman, lhp Reds 2012 Devin Mesoraco, c Reds

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Pos 2012 Org 2003 Ryan Wagner, RHP Out of baseball 2004 Homer Bailey, RHP Reds 2005 Jay Bruce, OF Reds 2006 Drew Stubbs, OF Reds 2007 Devin Mesoraco, C Reds 2008 Yonder Alonso, 1B Padres 2009 Mike Leake, RHP Reds 2010 Yasmani Grandal, C Padres 2011 Robert Stephenson, RHP Reds 2012 Nick Travieso, RHP Reds

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Aroldis Chapman, 2010 $16,250,000 Chris Gruler, 2002 $2,500,000 Yorman Rodriguez, 2008 $2,500,000 Homer Bailey, 2004 $2,300,000 Mike Leake, 2009 $2,270,000

REDS LINKS

Reds Team Page Reds Top 10 Scouting Reports Last Year's Reds Top 10 Prospects 2012 Draft: Reds 2012 Draft Report Cards: Cincinnati Reds Complete Index of Top 10 Prospects Pre-Order the 2013 Prospect Handbook

For a team on a budget, this is how you're supposed to get things done.

With a largely homegrown lineup and pitching staff, the Reds rolled to 97 wins and a National League Central title in 2012, the second-best record in the majors and the club's most wins since the Big Red Machine won 102 games and a World Series in 1976.

Cincinnati didn't have the money to make a big splash on the free-agent market, and it didn't need to. At $2 million, Ryan Ludwick was the most expensive free-agent acquisition to make the 25-man roster.

After cultivating a talented farm system, the Reds are reaping the dividends, with homegrown players like Jay Bruce, Johnny Cueto and Joey Votto serving as franchise cornerstones. Before the season, they traded prospects Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger to the Padres to acquire Mat Latos, adding another frontline starter to pair with Cueto. Rookies played key roles in Cincinnati as well, with Zack Cozart holding down the everyday shortstop job and Todd Frazier hitting 19 homers while playing first base, third base and left field.

It all culminated in the Reds' second division title in three years, after what had been a 15-year playoff drought. While the NL Division Series against the Giants ended in disappointment, as Cincinnati won the first two games in San Francisco before losing the last three, the team is positioned for long-term success and was recognized as Baseball America's Organization of the Year.

The revitalization has been slow and steady. The Reds had one of the least-talented systems in baseball for most of the late 1990s and much of the early 2000s, largely because of poor drafts. From 1992-2003, outfielder Austin Kearns was their only first-round pick who became a multiyear regular in Cincinnati.
Since then, the Reds have rarely missed on their top picks. In fact, every first-rounder from 2004-10 has become a big league regular, with the exception of Devin Mesoraco, who's still expected to after ranking No. 1 on this list a year ago. Former scouting director Terry Reynolds (2004-05) and successor Chris Buckley (2006-present) have produced a series of productive drafts while rarely stretching the budget.

A franchise that had also been unable to develop starting pitchers for more than a decade had three homegrown arms who made 30 or more starts in 2012 in Cueto and former first-round picks Homer Bailey and Mike Leake. Cincinnati's $30.25 million investment in Aroldis Chapman has paid off, as he earned all-star recognition while saving 38 games. He'll get an opportunity to join the rotation in 2013.

Through trades and promotions, 12 members of last year's Reds Top 30 Prospects list no longer qualify, so the system's depth has understandably taken a hit. There's still elite talent at the top with outfielder/shortstop Billy Hamilton, who created perhaps the biggest story of the 2012 minor league season by stealing a professional-record 155 bases.

Cincinnati won't be counting on many prospects to make the jump to the majors in the next couple of years, but it also doesn't have many holes at the big league level. Among the Reds' projected regulars, all but Bronson Arroyo, Bailey and Shin-Soo Choo are under team control through the 2015 season.

Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects (How to subscribe)

Pre-Order the 2013 Prospect Handbook 30 scouting reports on every team