One Reds Minor League Affiliate Is Making Some Serious Noise

This is fantastic!

Apr 11, 2019; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A view of a New Era on field Reds hat in the game of the Miami Marlins against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dominican Summer League (DSL) Reds have been red hot! They have been playing their best baseball and it couldn't have come at a better time.

DSL Reds earned their way into the playoffs

This DSL Reds ended the regular season going 9-1 in their last ten games. Overall, they finished the regular season with a record of 36-19. They made the playoffs as the top-seeded wild card team. They also had a better record than four of the eight division winners. A fantastic year, to say the least, and now they get to continue it into the postseason.

The DSL Reds have been led by their 19-year-old right-hander Ysaias Escalona. Escalona was 10-0 in the regular season with a 0.99 ERA in 63.1 innings pitched. Escalona has been even better in the DSL postseason going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 11 innings. Escalona earned a DSL All-Star honor earlier this summer with fellow teammates Eider Gutierrez and Angel Nunez Jr.

Angel Nunez Jr and Eider Gutierrez continue to impress

Angel Nunez Jr., the Reds' 2026 International Free Agent signing for a record $3 million, has been impressive since day one. Nunez, in his first professional game, went 3-for-4 with a double and a grand slam. He also started his DSL career with an 18-game on-base streak. This fantastic start saw Nunez be named to the DSL All-Star Game in his first professional season. Nunez began his journey on the other Summer League team, the DSL Rojos, and was later assigned to the DSL Reds on August 4th. Since then, Nunez has helped the DSL Reds play exciting baseball.

Eider Gutierrez was not a highly touted prospect going into 2026. Gutierrez was in the 2026 International Free Agent signing class, but he was only signed for $150,000. A lot less than Nunez. Either way, Gutierrez has outstanding. Gutierrez in 48 regular-season games, hit .299 with 8 Home runs, 42 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. Gutierrez was also named a DSL All-Star and, much like Nunez and Escalona, should be playing in the Arizona Complex League in 2027.

DSL Reds cruised through the playoffs

Despite making the playoffs as a wild card team, the DSL Reds have been by far the best team. The Reds went 3-0 in the 'round-robin' portion of the playoffs, where they bested the DSL Yankees 7-1, the DSL Tigers 6-3 and then the DSL Rockies 8-2. The win against the Rockies advanced the Reds through pool play and into the semifinals, where they met the DSL Royals. The Royals were the West Division winners ahead of the DSL Reds. In the semifinals, the Reds made quick work of the Royals, sweeping a best-of-three series. Angel Nunez in the playoffs has gone 7-for-12 (.412), scoring seven runs and driving in four with four stolen bases.

The Reds will now face the Padres Gold in the Dominican Summer League Championship Series. The Padres Gold are the 2025 reigning DSL Champions. The series is another best of three games that starts on Thursday, August 27th at 11:00 am Eastern time. Bob Castilinni said that the Reds Organization is going to compete for championships; the ACL Reds got close; now it's the DSL Reds' chance! Go Reds!

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