Cincinnati Reds Top Prospect Report - Nick Travieso
How did the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospects do during the 2016 season?
While the Cincinnati Reds struggled to a 68-94 record, there is plenty of reason for hope in the future. The team is loaded with talented prospects across all of their minor-league teams, and many of those players started off with promising starts in their careers.
Let’s take a look at how the Reds’ top 10 prospects (per MLB Pipeline at the start of the season) performed as we head into the offseason.
Nick Travieso (RHP)
2016 Stats (Double-A):
Pensacola: 5-7, 3.84 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 117.1 IP, 91 K, 53 BB
Nick Travieso’s season can be viewed one of two ways. On the one hand Travieso made 23 starts in Pensacola averaging more than 5 innings per start. On the other hand Travieso dropped from the #9 ranked Reds’ prospect all the way down to #16.
Travieso is trending to be an MLB starting pitcher is he continues to progress at the same rate. Making every start is a huge step in the right direction. Staying at Pensacola all year means that hitters had an opportunity to see him multiple times last season.
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In 2017 Travieso needs to focus on his control. His WHIP was in the danger zone last year and that was due mostly to allowing too many walks per nine. He also needs to raise that average innings per start number.
The Cincinnati Reds have been patient with Nick Travieso, but they need to him improve more quickly.
Travieso was a first round pick in 2012 out of high school. Four years later, he’s a 22-year old prospect who hasn’t progressed past Double-A. Travieso needs to start 2017 in the Louisville rotation in order not to be a flop.
A highlight of Travieso’s development has been the acceleration of his fastball.
It has increased in speed every year with the organization and now sits at 93. He has seen it peak as high as 97.
Travieso’s 2016 is both what excites the Reds and what worries them. He profiles as a middle of the rotation starter, but he made two trips to the DL in 2016. With an ability to pitch deep into games when healthy, Travieso has to figure out how to stay healthy.
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Travieso has to return to the magic of his 2014 season. He started 26 games in Low-A ball. WIth an ERA of 3.03, he wasn’t spectacular, but he was solid. Pitching 142 innings with a WHIP under 1.20 would almost qualify him as a number 5 starter in the big leagues.
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