The Cincinnati Reds ended the season in disappointing fashion, and they’re entering a key offseason. Cincinnati needs to make a few big moves to push the team in the right direction, or else this team could continue falling down to the bottom of the National League, which sounds like a crazy statement considering they have Elly De La Cruz, Chase Burns, and Sal Stewart on the roster.
The Reds have a handful of prospects to watch this offseason, as this next crop of prospects is hoped to be the talent that takes the Reds back to the postseason.
MLB.com’s Sam Dykstra and Jonathan Mayo recently put together a list with each team’s biggest sleeper prospect in the upcoming Arizona Fall League. For the Reds, they listed pitcher Victor Diaz, who needs to take a big step forward in his development this offseason.
“Diaz joined the Reds as a non-drafted free agent out of Seminole State Junior College in August 2024 and had a fairly nondescript first full season of pro ball in 2025,” they wrote. “Things clicked a bit more pitching out of High-A Dayton’s bullpen this year, striking out 13.3 per nine (albeit with a 6.5 BB/9 rate) and posting a 3.33 ERA to earn a bump up to Double-A. His fastball, which tops out at 99 mph, missed bats at a 30 percent rate in 2026.”
Diaz has a lot of talent, led by his elite fastball and a devastating slider. Diaz also mixes in a sinker, curveball, and cutter to round out his arsenal. He spins the ball well, which gives him the potential to develop a few elite pitches if he’s able to polish them up.
Last season, Diaz struck out 30.3 percent of the batters he faced, which is an elite rate. But he had some issues with walks, as he walked 43 batters in 60 1/3 innings. Still, Diaz’s 48 percent zone rate isn’t horrible. He simply struggles to generate swings, which leads to long counts and eventually walks.
Diaz needs to improve the command a bit if the Reds are going to use him on the big league roster within the next few years. If he can develop one or two more elite pitches to pair with his fastball and slider, the Reds could use him in the bullpen.
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