The Reds have not exactly built a Silver Slugger factory over the years. The award arrived too late for most of the Big Red Machine era, and even Joey Votto - one of the best hitters in franchise history and one of the best in baseball history - never took one home during his career.
So while Cincinnati does have a few names in the mix this season, the bigger story might be what’s coming next. Elly De La Cruz looks like the clear NL shortstop favorite because of his huge production.
CJ Abrams has gotten plenty of attention while closing in on a 30-30 season. Otto Lopez could even force his way into the batting title conversation if he catches Luis Arraez for the NL batting crown.
Sal Stewart has a shot at first base, though that race is much deeper.
The Reds prospect who feels most likely to eventually join that Silver Slugger list is Alfredo Duno.
At 20 years old, nothing is promised. But Duno has already shown enough thunder with the bat to make it feel like his offense is headed for the majors in a big way. MLB Pipeline has him ranked as the No. 21 prospect, and he has cleared every hurdle since his pro debut in 2023.
Cincinnati signed Duno out of Venezuela for $3.1 million, and he wasted no time making an impression. As a 17-year-old in the DSL, he posted a .945 OPS. An injury cost him much of 2024, but he answered back in 2025 at Daytona with a .948 OPS.
This season brought his strongest run yet. Duno opened at Dayton and hit .260/.390/.512 with 16 home runs in 65 games, enough to earn a spot in the midseason Futures Game, where his elite bat speed got its due.
What has really sharpened the Silver Slugger projection is what he has done since moving up to Chattanooga at the end of June. That jump from High-A to Double-A is the toughest climb in the minors, and Duno has not just held his own - he may have played even better.
The Miranda, Venezuela native is almost four years younger than the average player in Double-A, but over 32 games at Chattanooga he has hit .322/.406/.488 with three home runs. Even more encouraging, his strikeout rate has dropped from 26.8% at Dayton to 16.7% at Chattanooga, and he’s done it while facing pitchers who are beginning to show better sequencing and more advanced secondary stuff.
The biggest question is where Duno ends up defensively. His 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame gives him size, but he also has a cannon arm and more athleticism than he looks like he should have. He is still rough around the edges behind the plate, and that matters because catcher is the clearest path to a Silver Slugger for a bat like his.
That position simply does not produce a ton of offense. Only 20 catchers have reached 350 plate appearances in the majors this season, and that group has combined for an average wRC+ of 101.7.
If Duno stays at catcher and stays healthy, he should have a chance to clear that standard by a comfortable margin. If he ends up at a corner infield spot, the road gets a lot more crowded.
Either way, the tools are loud: elite bat speed, advanced strike-zone awareness, and massive raw power. The Reds may have a few current Silver Slugger possibilities, but Duno looks like the one most likely to bring one home down the line.
In Other News...
Reds Fans Have Every Right To Be Furious Over Sal Stewart Ranking
Sal Stewart gave the Reds exactly the kind of rookie season that usually forces people to pay attention, because he was in the lineup every day and produced like a middle-of-the-order bat. He hit 32 home runs, drove in 111 runs and played all 162 games, numbers that made him one of the most valuable young players in the league and a serious National League Rookie of the Year candidate.
So it was no surprise to see some pushback when media rankings slotted him lower than many Reds fans expected, with concerns tied more to defense and base running than to what he did at the plate. For Cincinnati, though, the larger picture is pretty simple: Stewart looks like a cornerstone moving forward, and the debate over where he lands on a rookie list says more about outside evaluation than it does about the kind of impact he already had. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Suddenly Have A Lefty Bullpen Issue Worth Watching
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Bailey Falter has emerged as a name to watch in that search for depth. The left-hander elected free agency after the 2026 season and has already bounced around the league with stops in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Atlanta, giving him the kind of mileage that can appeal to a club looking for pitching versatility. For the Reds, the question is whether a minor-league deal can help solve the lefty shortage without forcing a bigger roster commitment. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Still Have One Costly Problem The Front Office Must Fix
KeBryan Hayes gave the Reds exactly what they hoped for on the dirt, turning third base into a run-saving spot with his glove. The problem is that Cincinnati cannot ignore the other side of the position for long, and the front office heads into the offseason looking at a market that is not exactly overflowing with obvious fixes. Free agency offers only so much help, which is why the conversation has quickly shifted toward trades and the possibility of finding a more balanced answer elsewhere.
The trade route may be where the Reds can actually make a meaningful upgrade, especially if clubs with infield depth decide to reshuffle their plans. Names such as Isaac Paredes and Brett Baty fit into that broader search, and recent organizational changes with the Astros and Mets could open doors that were not there before. For a team trying to build around pitching and run prevention without leaving too much offense on the table, third base has become one of the more important puzzles to solve. [Read more 🡒]