Three Rising Reds Prospects Earn Monthly Honors at High-A Dayton

They are having a great start to the season.

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 Dayton Dragons awarded Carlos Sanchez and Ryan McCrystal as their Batters of the Month and named Victor Diaz the Pitcher of the Month.

Carlos Sanchez

The Cincinnati Reds signed Sanchez during the 2022 international signing period, a class headlined by Esmith Pineda and Ricky Cabrera, as an outfielder. Sanchez's average for the month was .326 with 12 stolen bases and an .850 OPS. The 21-year-old shortstop is having a career year this season, after posting a .791 OPS last season and a .608 OPS in 2024, and has missed time with injuries in two of the last three seasons. This season, he has made major strides toward being more effective and efficient at the plate. His groundball rate is down nearly 50 percent, and his strikeout percentage has dropped from 24 percent to 19 percent.

“He’s working on being more efficient at the plate,” Reds senior director of player development Jeremy Farrell told Baseball America's Doug Grey. “I think the biggest difference this year is his swing decisions and the pitches he is swinging at or taking and not swinging at.“

Long-term, Sanchez's arm may project as a third baseman, but his bat may lead him to moving back to the outfield. 

Ryan McCrystal

McCrystal is one of the more underrated prospects in the Reds' farm system. Drafted out of East Carolina University in 2024, he has performed at each level. In April, he posted a .319 average with a home run and an .874 OPS. Primarily a catcher, he has played more frequently at first base while playing with top prospect Alfredo Duno. He's a very efficient hitter, striking out just 17 percent of the time and walking at a 13 1/2 percent rate. 

“I didn't start catching till I was around 10 or 11," McCrystal told the Red Hot Reds podcast. “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.”

He was promoted to High-A in July of 2025 and slashed .271/.311/.371 in 20 games with the Dragons. On Tuesday, the transaction log listed that he was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga.

Victor Diaz

The Reds signed Diaz to a minor league contract in August of 2024, and he made his organizational debut the following season. The 23-year-old struck out 13 batters with three saves and a 1.74 ERA in April. Last season, he struggled. He had a 7.78 ERA in 27 games. Command was an issue; he walked 33 batters and had a .268 average against him. This season, he still has a higher walk rate at nearly 7 percent, but a lower average against him and a 58 percent groundball rate. 

They are all having a great start to the season. The Dragons are 12-15 on the season and have yet to win a series, splitting all but one series this season.