As exciting as the Cincinnati Reds’ past 10 days have already been, featuring an 8-2 record in 10 games since June 5 in addition to impressive debuts by Elly De La Cruz and Andrew Abbott, many fans are eagerly anticipating the Major League Baseball debut of corner infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who has punished opposing pitching this season for the Triple-A Louisville Bats.
Encarnacion-Strand is 23, and he’s in just his third professional season since the Minnesota Twins drafted him out of Oklahoma State University.
Here are five things to know about one of the Reds’ most exciting young prospects:
Encarnacion-Strand was acquired by the Reds from the Twins in the Tyler Mahle trade.
On Aug. 2, 2022, the Reds sent Mahle to Minnesota for Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer and Steve Hajjar.
Mahle posted a 4.41 ERA in four 2022 starts for the Twins. He was injured during his fifth start of this season, and the Twins announced in May that he underwent Tommy John surgery.
Steer is among the National League’s best rookies so far this season, batting .278 with an .830 OPS after hitting his ninth home run of the season in Wednesday’s win against the Royals in Kansas City.
Hajjar was sent to Cleveland to complete the Reds’ deal for Will Benson.
Posting video-game numbers is nothing new for Encarnacion-Strand.
An All-American at Arizona’s Yavapai College, Encarnacion-Strand hit .410 with 33 home runs and 103 RBIs in 81 games over parts of two seasons.
As a sophomore at OSU in 2021, Encarnacion-Strand hit .361 with 15 homers in 267 plate appearances, with an OPS of 1.103.
After the Twins made him a fourth-round pick in 2021, Encarnacion-Strand was promoted after hitting .391 for Low-A Fort Myers.
Between three minor-league teams – two Twins’ affiliates, followed by the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts after the trade, Encarnacion-Strand hit .304 with 32 homers in 538 PAs in 2022.
And CES entered Wednesday with a .361 average, 17 HRs and 46 RBIs in 204 PAs with a 1.165 OPS this season for the Louisville Bats, including a grand slam two weeks ago against Worcester.
On Monday, hey was named the International League’s Player of the Week after hitting .526 with three HRs, eight RBIs and six walks.
Encarnacion-Strand can hit pitches outside the strike zone.
Earlier this week, Baseball America’s JJ Cooper wrote that Encarnacion-Strand is the best bad-ball hitter in the minors.
From Cooper via Twitter:
Will Encarnacion-Strand play more third or first base?
Encarnacion-Strand’s natural position is third, and he played mostly 3B at OSU. But he might play more at first and bat DH when the Reds promote him.
The Reds – including Joey Votto – worked with him at 1B in spring training, and he’s played mostly at first this season for the Bats.
Encarnacion-Strand bounced back quickly from a February injury.
Encarnacion-Strand missed several days of spring training because of a slight disc herniation in his back. He rebounded to hit .557 (15-for-26) with four homers and 13 RBIs in the Cactus League.
The Reds sent Encarnacion-Strand to minor-league camp the same day they cut De La Cruz, Matt McLain and pitchers Ricky Karcher and Casey Legumina. Encarnacion-Strand is the only one of the five not to make his big-league debut yet for Cincinnati.
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 5 things to know: Cincinnati prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand