Nick Krall and the Cincinnati Reds front office: A mid-season grade
By Bill Felber
Farm system
No team in baseball has featured a more heralded rookie class this season than Krall’s Reds. De La Cruz has been the hot name since his June 6 call-up. He’s hitting .301 with good power and nine steals. The defensive numbers are unremarkable, but they’re also sparse. So far it adds up to a 0.3 WAA, which doesn’t sound like much until you consider that he’s had fewer than 90 plate appearances.
For volume, consider Matt McLain, who was the shortstop until De La Cruz arrived. They’re both now officially “infielders.” McLain is batting .316. His defensive numbers, too, are not sensational, but his 1.2 WAA is tied for third-best on the team.
One of the two guys ahead of him is Andrew Abbott (+1.6). Debuting in early June, Abbott has made five starts, compiling a 1.21 ERA and a 4-0 record.
McLain, De La Cruz and Abbott are the three-pronged core of a class of seven system products used by Krall to greater or lesser extents this year.
This rookie class is so far rivaling the 2021 Reds group, one that featured infielder Jonathan India and catcher Tyler Stephenson. Both are now integral parts of the rising Reds team.