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Meet the 25-year-old Reds rookie who has set an MLB record for most home runs to start a career
Thanks to a new-look batting stance, Aristides Aquino is off to an absurdly hot start to his pro career
The Reds' 25-year-old rookie outfielder Aristides Aquino was recalled just before the calendar flipped to August, and suffice it to he's seized the opportunity by both tailored lapels:
VIEW PROFILE
Aristides AquinoCIN • RF • 44
BA.429
R11
HR8
RBI16
SB0
OPS1.617
Those eight home runs have come in just 11 games (he logged one game and one plate appearance in 2018, but we're focused on his 2019 call-up). The sample size is miniscule, but that's jaw-dropping production from a player who's never been regarded as a true premium prospect. So in celebration of his stunning mini-run, here are eight essential takeaways:
1. Aquino is the reigning NL Player of the Week
Thanks to a week that saw him bat .500 with a slugging percentage of 1.364 and 30 total bases in six games, the Dominican Republic native took home the honors along with AL counterpart Jorge Soler of the Royals. Within those numbers is Aquino's three-homer game against the Cubs.
2. He's already made MLB history
On Monday night, Aquino launched a home run off Nationals reliever Tanner Rainey, which gave him eight home runs since his call-up. That's also an MLB record for the most home runs by a hitter through his first 12 games.
But wait: That's not all! Let's circle back to that aforementioned three-homer game:
That effort helped Aquino tie Trevor Story in 2016 for most home runs through the first 10 games of a player's career. As well, when Yordan Alvarez homered thrice later that same Saturday, he and Aquino became the first rookies ever to have three-homer games on the same day.
3. He's even hotter than that
Bear in mind that Aquino played one game last season and didn't homer in the first two games played this season. That means he's racked up those eight home runs in a span of just nine games. He's also hit seven home runs in last six games, and he carries a nine-game hit streak in Tuesday night's contest against the Nationals.
4. He hits the ball hard
Making hard contact at the proper launch angle bodes will for being able to sustain power performance. No, Aquino isn't going to continue at his current unimaginable pace, but the guy is a legit power hitter. He's got an average exit velocity of 91.3 mph, which is comfortably better than the league-average mark, and he's got a hard-hit rate of 47.8 percent versus a league-average mark of 34.4 percent. Aquino this season also boasts an expected batting average of .341 and an expected slugging percentage of .764 -- both exceptionally high figures.
To distill it down into a single swing, have another look at his last of three homers on Saturday against the Cubs:
Yep, that one left the bat at a jaw-dropping 118.3 mph, which means it's tied for the hardest-hit homer of 2019. That's also the hardest-hit ball of any kind by a Reds player since Statcast started tracking such things in 2015.
5. Following the 2017 season, Aquino looked like he might never make the bigs
In 2017, Aquino in his age-23 season played in Double-A for the entire season and batted a disappointing .216/.282/.397 in 131 games for Pensacola. Yes, he hit 17 home runs, but he also struck out 145 times, or in almost 30 percent of his plate appearances. That much swing and miss when a player isn't necessarily young for his level is a troubling sign. It came on the heels of a strong season at the High-A level, in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, no less. However, many a power-only prospect has stalled out upon reaching the upper rungs, and for a time that looked like Aquino's fate.
6. He broke out before he hit the majors
In 2018, Aquino fared better in his second tour of Double-A but still didn't dominate. The dominance came in 2019, when he started the year at Triple-A. Yes, the Triple-A this year is using the same lively rabbit ball that MLB is using, but Aquino's numbers at Louisville were impressive in any context: .299/.356/.636 with 28 home runs in 78 games. That profoundly impressive half-season put Aquino squarely back on the organizational radar.
And in surely related matters:
Mike Petriello
✔@mike_petriello
https://twitter.com/mike_petriello/status/1159098718882344961
So, Aristides Aquino: .636 SLG, 28 AAA HR. Now 7 hits (2 HR) in his first 17 MLB PA.
Hit balls 111 MPH (single) and 108.9 (HR) last night.
Apparently fueled by stance/swing change (@ctrent: https://theathletic.com/1115258/2019/08/04/prepping-the-punisher-how-the-reds-honed-aristides-aquinos-swing/ …) and man, does he make it easy to eyeball:
327
9:47 AM - Aug 7, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
80 people are talking about this
He's completely rebuilt his stance, which coincided with a huge jump in production. He's hitting ball hard and also far, and it's backed up by swing changes. That's a recipe for continued excellence, at least in the near- to mid-term.
7. So far, he's handling secondary stuff
The knock on Aquino for a long time was his ability to handle offspeed and breaking stuff. That's the challenge for many a young hitter at the higher levels, and Aquino, despite his big-time power, was no exception. While the sample size is tiny, Aquino thus far has fared well against those previous pain points. To date, 19 of his ABs have ended against either a changeup, curve, or slider, and he's a combined 9 for 19 against those offerings with four home runs. There's no getting around the all-but-meaningless data sample, but just the same he's thrived against those pitches thus far in his MLB career.
8. If not for the Puig trade, none of this would be happening
Leading up to the July 31 trade deadline, the Reds packaged outfielder Yasiel Puig in a three-way trade with the Indians and Padres. Now Puig is suffusing the Cleveland lineup with much-needed power, and his exit opened up a spot for Aquino. Aquino was promoted shortly after the Puig trade became official, and here we are.
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...dWpmePbSoYaTivW_dCUkMCC_mdUfogRFP8fY7iXW3JOIM
Thanks to a new-look batting stance, Aristides Aquino is off to an absurdly hot start to his pro career
- by Dayn Perry
- @daynperry
- 44 mins ago • 4 min read
The Reds' 25-year-old rookie outfielder Aristides Aquino was recalled just before the calendar flipped to August, and suffice it to he's seized the opportunity by both tailored lapels:
VIEW PROFILE
Aristides AquinoCIN • RF • 44
BA.429
R11
HR8
RBI16
SB0
OPS1.617
Those eight home runs have come in just 11 games (he logged one game and one plate appearance in 2018, but we're focused on his 2019 call-up). The sample size is miniscule, but that's jaw-dropping production from a player who's never been regarded as a true premium prospect. So in celebration of his stunning mini-run, here are eight essential takeaways:
1. Aquino is the reigning NL Player of the Week
Thanks to a week that saw him bat .500 with a slugging percentage of 1.364 and 30 total bases in six games, the Dominican Republic native took home the honors along with AL counterpart Jorge Soler of the Royals. Within those numbers is Aquino's three-homer game against the Cubs.
2. He's already made MLB history
On Monday night, Aquino launched a home run off Nationals reliever Tanner Rainey, which gave him eight home runs since his call-up. That's also an MLB record for the most home runs by a hitter through his first 12 games.
But wait: That's not all! Let's circle back to that aforementioned three-homer game:
That effort helped Aquino tie Trevor Story in 2016 for most home runs through the first 10 games of a player's career. As well, when Yordan Alvarez homered thrice later that same Saturday, he and Aquino became the first rookies ever to have three-homer games on the same day.
3. He's even hotter than that
Bear in mind that Aquino played one game last season and didn't homer in the first two games played this season. That means he's racked up those eight home runs in a span of just nine games. He's also hit seven home runs in last six games, and he carries a nine-game hit streak in Tuesday night's contest against the Nationals.
4. He hits the ball hard
Making hard contact at the proper launch angle bodes will for being able to sustain power performance. No, Aquino isn't going to continue at his current unimaginable pace, but the guy is a legit power hitter. He's got an average exit velocity of 91.3 mph, which is comfortably better than the league-average mark, and he's got a hard-hit rate of 47.8 percent versus a league-average mark of 34.4 percent. Aquino this season also boasts an expected batting average of .341 and an expected slugging percentage of .764 -- both exceptionally high figures.
To distill it down into a single swing, have another look at his last of three homers on Saturday against the Cubs:
Yep, that one left the bat at a jaw-dropping 118.3 mph, which means it's tied for the hardest-hit homer of 2019. That's also the hardest-hit ball of any kind by a Reds player since Statcast started tracking such things in 2015.
5. Following the 2017 season, Aquino looked like he might never make the bigs
In 2017, Aquino in his age-23 season played in Double-A for the entire season and batted a disappointing .216/.282/.397 in 131 games for Pensacola. Yes, he hit 17 home runs, but he also struck out 145 times, or in almost 30 percent of his plate appearances. That much swing and miss when a player isn't necessarily young for his level is a troubling sign. It came on the heels of a strong season at the High-A level, in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, no less. However, many a power-only prospect has stalled out upon reaching the upper rungs, and for a time that looked like Aquino's fate.
6. He broke out before he hit the majors
In 2018, Aquino fared better in his second tour of Double-A but still didn't dominate. The dominance came in 2019, when he started the year at Triple-A. Yes, the Triple-A this year is using the same lively rabbit ball that MLB is using, but Aquino's numbers at Louisville were impressive in any context: .299/.356/.636 with 28 home runs in 78 games. That profoundly impressive half-season put Aquino squarely back on the organizational radar.
And in surely related matters:
Mike Petriello
✔@mike_petriello
https://twitter.com/mike_petriello/status/1159098718882344961
So, Aristides Aquino: .636 SLG, 28 AAA HR. Now 7 hits (2 HR) in his first 17 MLB PA.
Hit balls 111 MPH (single) and 108.9 (HR) last night.
Apparently fueled by stance/swing change (@ctrent: https://theathletic.com/1115258/2019/08/04/prepping-the-punisher-how-the-reds-honed-aristides-aquinos-swing/ …) and man, does he make it easy to eyeball:
327
9:47 AM - Aug 7, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
80 people are talking about this
He's completely rebuilt his stance, which coincided with a huge jump in production. He's hitting ball hard and also far, and it's backed up by swing changes. That's a recipe for continued excellence, at least in the near- to mid-term.
7. So far, he's handling secondary stuff
The knock on Aquino for a long time was his ability to handle offspeed and breaking stuff. That's the challenge for many a young hitter at the higher levels, and Aquino, despite his big-time power, was no exception. While the sample size is tiny, Aquino thus far has fared well against those previous pain points. To date, 19 of his ABs have ended against either a changeup, curve, or slider, and he's a combined 9 for 19 against those offerings with four home runs. There's no getting around the all-but-meaningless data sample, but just the same he's thrived against those pitches thus far in his MLB career.
8. If not for the Puig trade, none of this would be happening
Leading up to the July 31 trade deadline, the Reds packaged outfielder Yasiel Puig in a three-way trade with the Indians and Padres. Now Puig is suffusing the Cleveland lineup with much-needed power, and his exit opened up a spot for Aquino. Aquino was promoted shortly after the Puig trade became official, and here we are.
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...dWpmePbSoYaTivW_dCUkMCC_mdUfogRFP8fY7iXW3JOIM
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LovelandBuckeye
You never lose to those pricks. Ever. Ever. - UFM
Does Aquino like hats for his bats? I have a couple of spare ones around here somewhere.
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Jose Iglesias Interested In Re-Signing With Reds
By Connor Byrne | August 15, 2019 at 12:51am CDT
Jose Iglesias has been an effective pickup at a low price for the Reds, who inked the former Boston and Detroit shortstop to a minor league contract last winter. Although he had to settle for a non-guaranteed deal, Iglesias earned a spot on the Reds’ roster and a $2.5MM salary coming into the season. The 29-year-old has since turned into a starter for Cincinnati, where he has batted .290/.321/.417 with a career-high eight home runs in 390 plate appearances.
It’s possible the slick-fielding Iglesias’ output this year will be enough to convince a team to sign him to a major league pact prior to next season. Whether or not that happens, Iglesias would like to stay in Cincy, he explained to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.
“We haven’t gotten deep into that conversation yet. It’s going to happen soon, I guess,”Iglesias said. “Man, I love this group. That’s all I can say. This is where I belong. I don’t know, it’s totally out of my hands after that. I’ve enjoyed every single day I’ve come to the ballpark and leading by example, helping the younger players, and I’m very, very happy to be here.”
The Reds are also open to continuing their relationship with Iglesias, with president of baseball operations Dick Williams telling Sheldon that the club “could have any combination of (Jose) Peraza, (Freddy) Galvis and Iglesias on the team next year. None currently have guaranteed contracts, but we have interest in all of them as well as control over some of them, and we’ll evaluate how the pieces best fit together.”
Peraza, Galvis and Iglesias are currently part of a Reds middle infield mix that also includes Josh VanMeter, Kyle Farmer and the injured Derek Dietrich. Among Peraza, Galvis and Iglesias, the former has posted the least productive 2019. After racking up encouraging numbers last year, Peraza has only hit .241/.287/.355 in 321 trips to the plate this season. He’s on a $2.775MM salary and controllable via arbitration two more times. Galvis, just claimed from the Blue Jays on waivers this week, has a $5.5MM club option (or a $1MM buyout) for 2020. This has been a respectable campaign for the 29-year-old switch-hitter, owner of a .274/.305/.456 slash with 19 homers over 479 PA.
With everyone from the above group looking like candidates to return next season, the Reds once again appear as if they’ll have no shortage of in-house middle infield choices. However, Cincinnati could nonetheless seek higher-upside possibilities than Iglesias and the rest during the winter, when Williams and general manager Nick Krall figure to make an earnest attempt to construct a playoff-caliber roster. The Reds (56-63) have made obvious strides this year, but they’re still on pace for their sixth straight sub-.500 season, leaving room for improvement in their middle infield and elsewhere.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019...s.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
By Connor Byrne | August 15, 2019 at 12:51am CDT
Jose Iglesias has been an effective pickup at a low price for the Reds, who inked the former Boston and Detroit shortstop to a minor league contract last winter. Although he had to settle for a non-guaranteed deal, Iglesias earned a spot on the Reds’ roster and a $2.5MM salary coming into the season. The 29-year-old has since turned into a starter for Cincinnati, where he has batted .290/.321/.417 with a career-high eight home runs in 390 plate appearances.
It’s possible the slick-fielding Iglesias’ output this year will be enough to convince a team to sign him to a major league pact prior to next season. Whether or not that happens, Iglesias would like to stay in Cincy, he explained to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.
“We haven’t gotten deep into that conversation yet. It’s going to happen soon, I guess,”Iglesias said. “Man, I love this group. That’s all I can say. This is where I belong. I don’t know, it’s totally out of my hands after that. I’ve enjoyed every single day I’ve come to the ballpark and leading by example, helping the younger players, and I’m very, very happy to be here.”
The Reds are also open to continuing their relationship with Iglesias, with president of baseball operations Dick Williams telling Sheldon that the club “could have any combination of (Jose) Peraza, (Freddy) Galvis and Iglesias on the team next year. None currently have guaranteed contracts, but we have interest in all of them as well as control over some of them, and we’ll evaluate how the pieces best fit together.”
Peraza, Galvis and Iglesias are currently part of a Reds middle infield mix that also includes Josh VanMeter, Kyle Farmer and the injured Derek Dietrich. Among Peraza, Galvis and Iglesias, the former has posted the least productive 2019. After racking up encouraging numbers last year, Peraza has only hit .241/.287/.355 in 321 trips to the plate this season. He’s on a $2.775MM salary and controllable via arbitration two more times. Galvis, just claimed from the Blue Jays on waivers this week, has a $5.5MM club option (or a $1MM buyout) for 2020. This has been a respectable campaign for the 29-year-old switch-hitter, owner of a .274/.305/.456 slash with 19 homers over 479 PA.
With everyone from the above group looking like candidates to return next season, the Reds once again appear as if they’ll have no shortage of in-house middle infield choices. However, Cincinnati could nonetheless seek higher-upside possibilities than Iglesias and the rest during the winter, when Williams and general manager Nick Krall figure to make an earnest attempt to construct a playoff-caliber roster. The Reds (56-63) have made obvious strides this year, but they’re still on pace for their sixth straight sub-.500 season, leaving room for improvement in their middle infield and elsewhere.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019...s.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
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Reds recall Matt Bowman, select the contract of Joel Kuhnel, optioned Sal Romano. Jared Hughes claimed off of waivers by the Phillies. --C. Trent
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JFC
You gotta be some kind of desperate to pick that sack of monkey shit up off waivers
Speaking of useless sacks of shit....8-0 WB's
fucking losers to the bone
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