2 Reds Prospects Making Strong Case for Promotion After Big Night Offensively

Alfredo Duno continues to crush the baseball in the month of May. After getting off to a slow start to the season. Duno has destroyed High-A pitching in May.

On Wednesday, he had a huge game against the Fort Wayne Tin Caps, going 2-3 with two home runs, three walks, and five runs batted in.

In April, Duno slashed .213/.362/.347 with six extra-base hits. Since then, he's slashed .408/.532/.898 with 10 extra-base hits. In that time frame, Duno is striking out just 11% of the time and walking 21% of the time.

The 20-year-old is certainly making his case to be called up to Double-A Chattanooga. If the Reds are serious about keeping him at catcher long term, his path to a quick promotion is probably going to come down to the defense. The bat already looks elite, but right now, his defense still trails well behind the offense. The question is how patient are the Reds willing to be as that part of his game develops?

Duno's Defensive Scouting Report

Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds catcher Alfredo Duno during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Duno is currently ranked as MLB Pipeline's 26th-best prospect. While that is currently the case, he's making a case to be in their top 10 when the next set of rankings release.

"More athletic than you might think when looking at his strong 6-foot-2 frame, Duno should be able to stick behind the plate, especially if he manages his body well so he can remain agile, and the Reds were happy with his offseason work in this regard," Baseball Savant's scouting report says. "Combine that with his plus arm strength, hard work in all aspects of his game, including learning English, and he has the makings of a big league starting backstop.

It's going to be fun to continue to watch Duno develop as he gets older.

Carlos Sanchez Continues to Impress

May 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; A detail shot of Cincinnati Reds hat and glove in the dugout during the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Carlos Sanchez continued his great start to the season with High-A Dayton with a huge night on Wednesday, going 4-5 with two home runs, two walks, and four runs batted in. Sanchez is hitting .344 with an OPS of .985, along with 20 extra-base hits.

In 2025, Sanchez played in 116 games between Low-A Daytona and High-A Dayton, slashing .277/379/.412 with 34 extra-base hits.

He’s become one of the hottest prospects in the system, yet somehow he still isn’t getting the attention he deserves.

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