RADIO
There are some exciting outfield prospects out there. I already introduced you to Joc Pederson, whom has been tearing it up so far in the majors. I'm sure you know by now about Byron Buxton, and maybe someday I'll write an article about him. However, I'm not sure if you know about Jesse Winker.
He hasn't done much this year to help his case. So far, in 103 at-bats in Double-A he is slashing .243/.342/.359 with 2 HR, 13 R,11 RBI, and 3 SB. Not exactly anything to write home about. So what makes Winker worth paying attention to?
There's his supplemental first round pedigree when he was selected 48th overall in the 2012 June amateur draft. There's the fact that some scouts have compared him to a young Paul O'Neill. There's also the fact that in 1098 at-bats across the minors he has hit a much more respectable .294/.398/.481 line.
I'm also not very worried about his current numbers at Double-A. If you dig a bit, you'll see past the struggles. This year his strikeout rate is the lowest it's been in his professional career, and his OBP is a ridiculous .342 despite hitting only .243. Much of his average can be attributed to a particularly unlucky BABIP. Additionally, he's flashing the fastest speed he's shown which should lead to some more hits down the line.
The real question is where Winker fits into the Reds' outfield plans. My best guess is he will take over for Marlon Byrd in left field when the time comes. Byrd has an option year for 2016, but if he struggles enough the Reds may not pick it up. That would mean young Mr. Winker would find himself hitting in the same lineup as Billy Hamilton, Joey Votto, and Todd Frazier. If Mesoraco and Bruce can bounce back, that's one of the better lineups to find yourself apart of.
Imagine a scenario where Winker is hitting second in that lineup. It's easy to imagine if Winker's high on-base percentage carries over at all. Hamilton will provide a ton of runs to be driven in. Votto batting third will drive Winker in a bunch. It's a very happy future if it comes true.
However,this is not my attempt to endorse the next superstar in the outfielder. Winker is not some prodigious talent. He's not going to be the next Mike Trout.
I personally really like the Paul O'Neill comparison. Even though the numbers are great today, for his time O'Neill was "only" considered a very good player. Winker will be someone who is very similar. He'll have an high OBP while hitting about 18-20 homers a year but he'll never be the first guy you point to on the team. That's okay, as long as he keeps winking at balls as they fly by out of the zone.
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