The Reds AA affiliate, the Chattanooga Lookouts, boast some interesting prospects. The club currently hosts the Reds number 1 prospect, Rhett Lowder (#24 MLB Pipeline). Below are a few players I find intriguing.
Rhett Lowder: (#1 Reds, #24 MLB Pipeline)
Rhett Lowder was the team’s number one pick in the 2023 MLB draft. Rhett was impressive at Wake Forest, with a career ERA of 3.29, a WHIP at 1.15 and 30 career wins in 3 seasons. Lowder has a fastball the stays in the mid 90’s that tops out around 97, but scouts raved over his changeup the most. Rhett shows great command and some scouts believe he was the more polished pitcher coming out of college in 2023. After dominating at High A in Dayton, AA hasn’t been kind to Lowder as he is 0-3 with an ERA at 11.91. Opposing hitters seem to be hitting everything he’s throwing, as his opponents batting average is at .400. I don’t see this lasting long, however, as Rhett isn’t showing command issues. He currently has 12 K’s against 4 BB’s, but has allowed 20 hits in 11.1 innings. Rhett is currently on pace to make the Major League roster sometime around the 2025 season.
Chase Petty: (Reds #6 Prospect)
Acquired in the Sonny Gray deal, Chase soared up draft boards in the 2021 draft. With a fastball that was reported to touch 102 in High School, scouts fell in love as he was eventually drafted 26th overall by Minnesota. As Petty has developed as a pitcher, his velocity hovers around 96MPH, with a 2 seam fastball that sits around 93 MPH with sink. His changeup has shown some improvement but his slider is his go to out pitch. Chase has shown flashes of greatness but hasn’t found his footing in AA just yet. He has great swing and miss stuff, but hasn’t put it all together with any consistency. If Chase can show more consistency, he has all the potential to be a front line starter. We could see Chase in the majors sometime in 2025.
Dominic Pitelli:
The Reds selected Pitelli in the 7th round of the 2023 draft out of Miami(FL). Pitelli started out the 2023 season in Low A Daytona, he wouldn’t stay there long. After batting .290 with 61 total bases in 124 at bats, he earned him self a promotion from Low A all the way to AA. So far in 6 AA games, Pitelli is batting .279, 8 total bases and has an on base percentage at .409. Known for his defense at short stop, Pitelli has a compact swing that makes good contact. He has sneaky speed and can swipe a bag without many issues. If Pitelli could remain consistent and work on position flexibility, you could see him on a major league roster in sometime 2026 or early 27.
Austin Hendrick:
The Reds selected Hendrick with their first round pick in the 2020 MLB draft. Hendrick was regarded as one of the best hitters available in his class out of high school. Hendrick’s combination of bat speed and raw power, along with his arm in the outfield, are what made him a top draft prospect. Hendrick was also the 2019 Under Armor All-America home run derby winner. Hendrick’s first season in the minor leagues would be canceled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His first full season in the Reds system would come in 2021. In 63 games, Hendrick would struggle at time, but showcased his power. He had a slash line of .211/.380/.388, slugging 7 home runs. Strikeouts would become a theme with Hendrick, striking out 100 times in 209 at bats. 2022 would be his best statistical season to date. Hendrick had a line of .216/.306/.433, hitting a career high 29 home runs along with 69 RBI’s. Once again, the strikeout would plague him, striking out 165 times compared to 43 walks. Hendrick would be promoted to Dayton during the 2022 season. 2023 would be more of the same for Hendrick. His batting average would come down from his previous season. His 2023 line was .204/.271/.335 with 14 home runs. Hendrick would also fall out of the teams top 30 prospects this season. Strikeouts have been the biggest issue with Hendrick. So far in 2024, Hendrick is projected to strike out over 225 times. His 2024 stats to this point are .179/.254/.256 with 2 home runs, 8 RBI’s, 10 walks and 72 strikeouts in 44 games. Hendrick is in sort of a “prove it” season, with Rule 5 draft eligibility looming, I don’t see the Reds selecting him to the 40 man roster. Turning 23 years old this season, there’s still hope for a big league career. He just needs to cut down on strikeouts.
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