Cincinnati Reds minor leaguer Zach Vincej trying to force the front office's hand
The Cincinnati Reds have seen an offensive explosion for defensive specialist, shortstop Zach Vincej.
Zach Vincej is the next great defensive shortstop in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization. He has been compared to Zack Cozart since he joined the Reds’ organization. Vincej has even won a minor league gold glove award for his play.
In 2016 Vincej was the everyday shortstop for the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. His teammates, Brandon Dixon and Chad Wallach, were the top prospects on the team because of their offensive upside. That assessment fell apart when Vincej exploded offensively during the Arizona Fall League season.
After making the all-AFL team as the DH Vincej earned another honor. Vincej also made the AFL Top Prospects Team. Despite being the only Reds’ prospect to make the team, the Reds left him off the forty man roster in favor of pitchers Barrett Astin and Nick Travieso.
Vincej led the AFL in slugging percentage and extra base hits. He also ranked second in home runs, RBIs, and OPS. This resulted in the third highest batting average in the league.
It’s not all rainbows and butterflies for Vincej, though. As a 25-year old in Double-A, he was one of the oldest players in the AFL. This offensive outburst was the first sign that Vincej has an all-around offensive game.
Vincej was the Cincinnati Reds’ most likely player to be drafted in the Rule 5 Draft, but he is still a Red.
In the pre-draft predictions Vincej and left-handed starter Ismael Guillon headed to other teams as selections. Both are still with the team. The two players that the Reds lost signed after the end of the season with the Reds.
Since Vincej made it through the draft, he is now on his way to spring training with the Reds. They are in need of a true back-up infielder with Jose Peraza’s role undefined heading into the new year. He will need to prove that he can play third and second, as long as Cozart is still around.
Vincej was an afterthought in the Reds’ organizational depth chart. Originally, the Reds thought that his double play partner in Pensacola, Dixon, was the big league level utility player. Dixon and Wallach are both going to spring training with the Reds.
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The Reds are close to competing again in tough National League Central. They need all of the talent that they can muster. Finding a talent like Vincej can only help them get better.
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