Alfredo Duno came back from the injured list looking every bit like Cincinnati’s top prospect.
After missing nearly a month with a right hamstring strain, Duno returned Wednesday and wasted no time producing for Double-A Chattanooga. The Reds’ No. 22 prospect doubled twice and added a single in a 3-2 win over Columbus at Erlanger Park. It was the sixth time this season he has piled up at least three hits in a game.
The 20-year-old hadn’t played since July 29, but the layoff didn’t seem to slow him down. Duno has been rolling all season, hitting .272/.395/.519 between High-A Dayton and Chattanooga. Since moving up, he has been even hotter, posting a .958 OPS in 19 games.
Power has been a big part of the package. Duno has already topped his previous career best by one with 19 homers, and the combination of a 55-grade bat and a 60-grade arm behind the plate has pushed him to No. 3 among catching prospects.
Before the 2023 signing period, Duno was the No. 4 international prospect and signed out of Venezuela as a free agent. He went straight to the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and hit .303 with a .944 OPS. A broken rib limited him to 32 games in 2024, but he answered with a strong season at Single-A Daytona last year, when he launched 18 homers, walked more often than he struck out, and finished with a .948 OPS.
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