Reds Already Have Next Breakout Star in Their Organization

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the better young cores in the entire league. They recently cracked into the postseason, but it should be the first of many trips to October baseball because of how young and talented the entire organization is.

All eyes are seemingly on the top talents like Elly De La Cruz, Chase Burns, Hunter Greene, and Sal Stewart. These players are the ones with the pressure of the present on their backs. But the Reds also have some exciting prospects who haven't gotten close to a big league debut, yet deserve some praise of their own.

CBS Sports' RJ Anderson recently put together his top 100 MLB prospects and mentioned multiple young Reds stars. Anderson ranked Reds catching prospect Alfredo Duno as the No. 95 ranked prospect in all of baseball, which seems a bit low, but Anderson shared some high praise of the young slugger.

Alfredo Duno already emerging as the Reds next star catcher

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

"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.

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"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. "

Duno has been worked through the Reds organization slowly but surely because of his age, but he's dominated each step of the way.

In 2023, he held a .944 OPS in rookie ball as he hit six home runs, a triple, and nine doubles while drawing 38 walks in only 45 games. In 2024, he spent the entire season in Low-A, where he played 32 games, and posted an OPS near .800 with 11 extra base hits.

Last season was his best year, as he posted a .948 OPS in 113 games at the Low-A level. He drew more walks than strikeouts, which goes to show how mature he is at the dish.

Pair his productive bat with the fact that he's a solid defensive catcher and it seems like the Reds have their next breakout star under their noses. If he can stick at catcher, he could be one of the more valuable assets in the entire organization.

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