Cincinnati Reds Top Prospects in 2026 And Where They'll Likely Start Season

CINCINNATI – The Reds have four prospects in the MLB Pipeline top-100. Here is where I think each player will start the season.

Sal Stewart - MLB

Stewart is the Reds number-one prospect and the 22nd-ranked prospect in all of baseball. Making his debut in September 2025, the 22-year-old made it a priority to slim down over the offseason to prove he can give flexibility defensively as well as learning a new position at first base.

"I feel like it was best for me."Stewart said in an interview with FOX19's Joe Danneman."I felt like it can give me more versatility as well for Tito to be like 'he actually can go play second, he can play third, he can play first. I felt like it was great overall and I'm super happy about it."

Other teams noticed Stewart, with multiple teams looking to trade for him this offseason. During a Spring Training game versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, ESPN's Alden Gonzalez shared that several teams tried to trade for Sal Stewart this offseason.

"The Reds love his bat," Gonzalez said. "As a matter of fact, a few teams inquired with the Reds about trading for Sal Stewart. They were all rebuffed. The Reds front office wouldn't even entertain it. They feel like he's going to be a fixture in the middle of their lineup for a long time."

Stewart led the team in home runs in September, providing a much-needed power presence in a power-depleted lineup. Now, with the addition of Eugenio Suarez and a healthy Elly De La Cruz, there won't be as much pressure on the 22-year-old to be "the" power bat in the lineup. He is considered a dark-horse candidate to win Rookie of the Year this season.

Alfredo Duno - High-A Dayton

The Reds' second-ranked prospect and the 38th overall, Alfredo Duno, put together a season to remember in 2025. At 19 years old, he led the Florida State League in nearly every offensive category and went on to win the league's Most Valuable Player Award. He slashed .287/.430/.518 with 18 home runs, 32 doubles, 81 RBIs, and walked more than he struck out. CBS Sports' RJ Anderson wrote this about the Reds’ catching prospect.

"If this were 10 or 15 years ago, Duno would already be considered an elite prospect," Anderson wrote. "As a 19-year-old who is likely to stick behind the plate, he hit .287/.430/.518 with 18 home runs and more walks than strikeouts against competition that was roughly two years his senior. Duno isn't on that level, at least not yet, because his strikeout rate obscures a below-average hit-tool projection. He whiffed on 31%, a figure that exceeded the league-average mark by several percentage points. Duno's youth, strength (nearly 48% of his batted balls cleared 95 mph), and positional value give him plenty of wiggle room. He just needs to make some gains with his bat-to-ball skills to join the crest. "

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Duno repeated in Low-A with Daytona after having his 2024 season cut short due to a fractured rib early in the season. His first professional season, he was limited to a DH role due to an elbow injury. 2025 was his first full season as a professional and he dominated. While I believe he starts the season in High-A with the Dayton Dragons, there is a slim chance he could skip Dayton and play at Double-A.

Steele Hall - Arizona Complex League

The Reds selected Hall with their first pick in the 2025 draft. He reclassified in high school to move his draft date up a year, so the 18-year-old would still be in school at this point in the year. He has been given a chance to get some action in some Spring Training games and is using it as a learning experience. He has a hit and a RBI in three at-bats and showcased his strong arm at shortstop.

“He’s supposed to technically be a senior in high school right now,” outfielder Blake Dunn told FOX19's Charlie Goldsmith. “It’s incredible to see a guy that young put together at-bats and make plays in the field. Obviously, the Reds have a lot of praise for him. They saw the tools and abilities that are there.”

Hall is turning heads already in camp. He added 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason, adding to his slim frame. His player comp out of the draft was similar to Trae Turner of the Philadelphia Phillies.

“For 18 years old, he’s holding his own in Major League (spring training) games,” farm director Jeremy Farrell said. “He’s doing it with a smile on his face. He has been a lot of fun to watch on the back fields. I’m excited to see him.”

The Reds have a lot of reasons to be excited about Steele Hall. He will start the season in the Arizona Complex League and may see time in Low-A by the end of the year.

Rhett Lowder - MLB

Lowder is the Reds' fourth-overall prospect and is 86th in baseball. After an impressive debut in 2024, going 2-2 with a 1.17 ERA, 2025 was not how he or the Reds had hoped. He made only five regular-season starts, all rehab starts after a forearm strain to start the year and later an oblique injury.

"Rhett was the best sixth starter in baseball." Charlie Goldsmith said on Power Stacks. "He's probably a number-three right now when he's healthy and he just frankly looks really really good."

While he struggled in his last Spring Training outing, Reds radio broadcaster Jeff Brantley had this to say about his recovery later in the game.

"This will be a game where you look back at the line score and you think, ‘Oh, Lowder had a tough day,’" Jeff Brantley said during the radio broadcast. "When in actuality, after the fifth batter of the ballgame, he threw the ball exceptionally well."

With Hunter Greene projected to be out until July, Lowder's health is the main priority going into the season. The Reds will be relying on him to be a back-of-the-rotation pitcher to start, even though he projects with a higher ceiling.

"I’m getting stronger each week,"Lowder said. "It’s fun to be in a routine and focused on getting guys out. I love to play this game. It’s the best."

Had Hunter Greene not had the injury that required surgery, Lowder was expected to duel with Chase Burns and Brandon Williamson for the final spot. Now, he looks to be a key member of a really good rotation, even without Greene.

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