The Reds didn’t get the season they wanted in 2026, but it did give fans a clearer look at a few young names who could be part of the conversation in 2027.
Sal Stewart grabbed the biggest spotlight and emerged as a National League Rookie of the Year candidate, but he wasn’t the only prospect to reach the majors. Outfielders Héctor Rodríguez and Carlos Jorge, along with pitcher Jose Franco, also made their big league arrivals.
Even so, Cincinnati’s upper-level system isn’t packed with players knocking down the door right now. Top prospect Alfredo Duno got as far as Double-A Chattanooga in 2026, but the Reds aren’t rushing him. Other young shortstops such as Steele Hall, Justin Lebron and Tyson Lewis are still in the lower minors and need more time.
That leaves a smaller group of prospects worth watching closely, and three names stand out.
Carlos Jorge is one of them. Cincinnati’s No. 15 prospect made his debut on Sept. 4 and appeared in 18 games. His best stretch came in the final week, when he went 7-for-21 with a leadoff homer over six games while showing the kind of speed and athleticism that plays in center field.
Jorge’s path to a bigger role in camp next year could depend on what the Reds do this offseason. If the roster thins out in the right places, he’ll have a shot to compete. The left-handed hitter was better against right-handers in the Minors, and president of baseball operations Nick Krall pointed to one area that still needs work.
"[Jorge] needs to continue to get better against left-handed pitching. But he can do a lot of little things," Nick Krall said.
"He can steal bases. He can bunt.
You can put him in as a pinch-runner. You can put him in for defense.
I think he’s done a really good job of taking steps forward with where he’s been. He’s still a young player.
He still has some work to do, and we need to continue to develop him at this level.”
Carter Graham is another name moving up. The Reds’ No. 22 prospect was drafted in the eighth round out of Stanford in 2023, but 2026 was the year he really took off. In 126 combined games at High-A Dayton and Chattanooga, the 25-year-old right-handed hitter posted a .300 average with a .986 OPS, along with 29 homers and 93 RBIs.
Graham said the breakthrough wasn’t about changing his swing. It was about sharpening his choices at the plate, with Dayton hitting coach Troy Gingrich helping him turn the corner.
"There was no swing change or anything mechanical," Graham said. "I think swinging at better pitches consistently allowed me to drive the ball more often than I did before and I think that translated."
Mostly a first baseman, Graham can also handle third base and saw some time in left field this year. He’s now adding more at-bats in the Arizona Fall League.
Then there’s Jay Allen II, whose development has taken more time. The Reds’ No. 21 prospect was the No. 30 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 Draft out of high school, but injuries and struggles slowed him down for several seasons. He repeated Chattanooga in 2026 after spending all of 2025 there, and this year finally brought signs of the talent that made him a first-rounder.
Allen earned a late-season move to Triple-A Louisville and finished with a combined line of .267/.802 with 15 homers, 51 RBIs and 23 steals over 113 games. He also popped five home runs in 17 games in July.
Speed remains a major part of Allen’s game, and he can cover all three outfield spots. With the Reds thin on big league outfield depth heading into next season, he may have a real opening if he gets off to a fast start at Louisville to open 2027.
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Tyler Stephensons Reds Future May Come Down To One Tough Reality
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The Reds have plenty to think about beyond one looming contract, and that matters here. They have roster needs to juggle and limited appetite for a market that could get expensive quickly, even as Stephensons future remains unsettled and speculation builds about where he might land by 2027. For now, the clubs position looks clear enough: interest is out there, but so are the realities that make a reunion far from automatic. [Read more 🡒]