One Under-the-Radar Reds Prospect That Deserves More Recognition

He was selected in the ninth round in 2024.

Apr 11, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of an official Cincinnati Reds hat on the dugout steps during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Reds’ number-one prospect in the organization is catcher Alfredo Duno. The Reds have another catcher in the organization, Ryan McCrystal. He has been catching my interest and should be watched more attentively.

Off To A Great Start

Cincinnati drafted Ryan McCrystal with their ninth-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft. He is a catcher from North Carolina. He played his college ball at East Carolina University. McCrystal impressed in his first pro campaign last year. He posted a .295 average with a .791 OPS with four home runs with the Single-A Daytona Tortugas. He was promoted to High-A in July and slashed .271/.311/.371 with seven doubles. He posted a 115 wRC+ last season and is currently at a 133 wRC+ this season.

This season, McCrystal is off to a great start. In 12 games, the 23-year-old is slashing .333/.407/.489 with five extra-base hits, including a home run, and 12 RBIs. Defensively, he’s playing a lot of first base and DH, but is catching when Alfredo Duno needs a break from behind the plate. McCrystal provides a solid arm behind the plate and is 2-4 in steal attempts against him. He strikes out at a 20 percent clip and has upped his walk percentage from 6.8 percent to 11.1 percent this season. We sat down with him over the offseason to talk about his path to becoming a catcher and being drafted. 

“I didn't start catching till I was around 10 or 11," McCrystal told us. “I used to play third and first for the most part when I was really young. Then our catcher quit, and we didn't have anybody else. And so they tossed me back there. And I guess the ADHD side of me loves having something to do all the time because you can't really get distracted. So I guess it just kind of clicked on all cylinders there.”

Promoted to High-A Over Duno

Last season, it was McCrystal that was promoted from Daytona to Dayton, instead of Alfredo Duno, who played the entire season with the Tortugas. He shared his bond with Duno and his teammates with us when talking about the day he was promoted to Dayton.

“Yeah, the whole team kind of lined up right in front of me afterward," McCrystal said. "I got to talk to everybody. And I got really close with Duno this year. So I made sure I went up to him. Like he said, like, 'congrats, bro, love you.”

He mentioned the dilemma of being promoted over the team's top catching prospect, with how good of a year both players were having. Duno went on to win the league's MVP Award that season.

"I went up to him and said, ‘Hey, I don't know where your head is, dude. Because, like, obviously, another catcher getting called up. We're both having great years individually. It's nothing, nothing away from anything that you're doing. But I was like, you're going to, you're young. Like, I'm 22. You know what I mean? Like, it's going to happen a little faster for me than it is for you.' Like, you're the chosen one. You're Anakin Skywalker, dude. I didn't say that because I didn't know if you knew who that was.”

While he isn't on any of the Reds' top-30 prospects rankings, he may certainly be on his way there soon. The Reds have some fairly good catching depth for the first time in a long time. Alfredo Duno is the team's number-one prospect, and 19-year-old Jirvin Morillo is the organization's 21st-ranked prospect. McCrystal is another player who has been playing very well and deserves the attention.