- Full name Reydel Medina
- Born
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
The Reds have scouted the Cuban-defector market extensively, signing Aroldis Chapman to a massive deal and landing complementary pieces such as outfielder Felix Perez, who finished 2013 at Triple-A Louisville. Medina more resembles Perez than Chapman in both the size of his deal ($400,000) and his impact potential. Before leaving Cuba in 2011, he played for the Cuba youth national team, including the 16U squad that went to the World Championships in Taiwan in 2009. Medina performed well there, hitting .444/.516/.852. If it all comes together, he's an above-average runner with above-average power from the left side of the plate. His swing is simple and leveraged, featuring a quiet setup and a closed front foot, but it also has some length to go with solid bat speed. Like many young hitters, Medina must improve his pitch selection. Defensively, he has the tools to be a solid-average corner outfielder, though his average arm always will be stretched in right. He could join a crowded outfield rotation at low Class A Dayton in 2014.
