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CCiinncciinnnnaattii RReeddss MMeeddiiaa CClliippss JJaannuuaarryy 2244tthh,, 22001177 Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings January 24, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1990-The Reds sign a three-year agreement with SportsChannel Cincinnati to carry 25 games a season on cable television. 25 years later, for comparison, the Reds will have 140 games carried on FOX Sports Ohio this season MLB.COM 2017 Prospect Watch: Top 10 third basemen Red Sox's Devers king of hot corner, Reds' Senzel, Blue Jays' Vlad Jr. follow By Jim Callis / MLB.com | @JimCallisMLB | 12:00 AM ET + 3 COMMENTS MLBPipeline.com will unveil its 2017 Top 100 Prospects list on Saturday with a one-hour show on MLB Network at 8 p.m. ET. Leading up to the release, we look at baseball's top 10 prospects at each position. Third base is definitely an offensive position. MLBPipeline's Top 10 Third Base Prospects list starts with two of the game's top power prospects (the Red Sox's Rafael Devers, the Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) and two of the best pure hitters in the Minors (the Reds' Nick Senzel, the Giants' Christian Arroyo). The question is how many of these players will remain at the hot corner. Among the Top 10, only Matt Chapman (Athletics) rates as a plus defender or better -- and he also happened to lead the Double-A Texas League with 29 homers last season. Senzel and Ke'Bryan Hayes (Pirates) are the only others who grade as better than average. 1. Rafael Devers, Red Sox He has been overshadowed in the Boston system by the likes of Andrew Benintendi and Yoan Moncada, but that should change in 2017 with Benintendi in the big leagues and Moncada traded to the White Sox. Devers blends a rare combination of hitting ability and power potential, and he's ready for Double-A at age 20. 2. Nick Senzel, Reds The best college bat and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 Draft, Senzel hit .329/.415/.567 in low Class A and may not require much time in the Minors. Not only will he hit for average, but he also has developing power, draws a lot of walks and plays a fine third base. 3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays It's not hyperbole to say that his offensive upside rivals that of his father, who just missed election to the Hall of Fame by 15 votes last week. Guerrero Jr. has everything needed to do a lot of damage at the plate: bat speed, strength, hand-eye coordination, feel for hitting and a mature approach. 4. Christian Arroyo, Giants After spending most of his first three years as a pro at shortstop, Arroyo saw as much action at third base as he did at short in 2016. He fits better defensively at the hot corner and still profiles offensively there, thanks to his ability to barrel balls about as well as any prospect. 5. Jeimer Candelario, Cubs No player on this list is more in need of a trade than Candelario, who's blocked by Kris Bryant at third base and Anthony Rizzo at first base. Candelario has the bat to start for several clubs, as he's a switch-hitter who makes repeated contact, drives the ball and takes a lot of walks. 6. Matt Chapman, Athletics The 2016 Texas League MVP finished third in the Minors with 36 homers between Double-A and Triple-A, and his defense can be just as jaw-dropping as his power. Chapman can make any throw needed with an arm that once delivered 98-mph fastballs on the mound, and his hands and range are assets as well. 7. Miguel Andujar, Yankees He has raw power and arm strength similar to if not quite the equal of Chapman's. Andujar reached Double-A and played in the Arizona Fall League at age 21, so he's not too far away from Yankee Stadium. 8. Austin Riley, Braves Riley entered 2015 as one of the top high school pitching prospects in the Draft yet wound up a supplemental first-round pick as a position player in June. Another member of this Top 10 who stands out for his power and arm strength, he bashed 17 homers and slugged .581 in the second half of last season. 9. Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pirates Hayes could be a better pure hitter and definitely is a better defender than his father Charlie, who spent 14 years in the Majors as a third baseman. Hampered by a fractured rib during his first full pro season, Ke'Bryan could break out in 2017. 10. Hunter Dozier, Royals A surprise pick at No. 8 overall in 2013, Dozier stalled for two years in Double-A until he finally stopped trying to yank every pitch out of the park last year. He's capable of hitting for some average and power while playing a capable third base, though he's blocked at the hot corner in Kansas City and may wind up on an outfield corner. The 2016 Draft provided several intriguing third-base prospects who could climb onto this list a year from now. A two-way standout who helped Arizona get within a win of the 2016 College World Series championship, Bobby Dalbec (Red Sox) has massive raw power and posted a 1.101 OPS in his pro debut. Lucas Erceg (Brewers) has a similar background, sticking out most for his pop, pulling double duty in college and excelling in his first taste of pro ball. High schooler Joshua Lowe (Rays) also was a two-way star and was one of the best all-around athletes available in the 2016 Draft, one of the reasons that he went 13th overall. Nolan Jones (Indians) ranked as one of the top hitters in last year's prep class and also has promising power. Dreaming big: Young Allen standout in Cincy High school senior and UYA participant selected for Dream Series, eyes 2017 Draft By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | January 23rd, 2017 + 1 COMMENT CINCINNATI -- Ronnie Allen Jr. is an 18-year-old from Hamilton, Ohio, and a high school senior who makes a long daily commute to Cincinnati Country Day School. A catcher with college and pro aspirations, he is often at the P&G Cincinnati MLB Youth Academy playing as a member of the local RBI Baseball program, but he also works in clinics with other kids. The coaches and academy staff took notice of Allen's skill and efforts. That was behind their decision to recommend his selection to the inaugural Dream Series, an event that was held during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. It's meant to provide exposure and development for a diverse group of high school pitchers and catchers from around the country. The latest development camp that works to serve minority high school players, the Dream Series joined other MLB initiatives like the Breakthrough Series and Elite Development Invitational. "It was just an honor to be selected," Allen said. "A lot of the kids in the other events were top selections in the Draft or went to a Division I school." The Dream Series camp was free and held at the Angels' Spring Training facility in Tempe, Ariz. The participants included some of the best high school baseball prospects in the country, including Hunter Greene, who is MLB.com's No. 1 Draft prospect and is a long-time participant of the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, Calif. The participants were recommended by Major League Baseball, USA Baseball, MLB Youth Academies, the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program, the MLB Scouting Bureau, MLB clubs and the MLB Players Association. Upon his arrival, the Tempe Diablo Major League Complex immediately left an impression on Allen. "It was so beautiful," Allen recalled. "When I walked into the clubhouse, everything was laid out at the lockers like it would be for Major Leaguers -- the cleats, the jerseys, equipment and everything. Then I walked out to the field and it made you feel even more like a big league player. You want that moment every single day of your life." The camp instructors were former Major League pitchers and catchers, including LaTroy Hawkins, Charles Johnson, Marquis Grissom, Dave Stewart, Ken Hill, Lenny Webster, Marvin Freeman, Bob Didier and Darren Oliver. Former White Sox and Mets manager Jerry Manuel served as the camp's head field coordinator. "He was giving us information after information. Everything that came out of his mouth, I don't think any of us missed a word," Allen said of Manuel. Allen and other participants were first introduced to the players via a video that showed their Major League highlights. Allen gravitated most toward Johnson, a former Marlins catcher and All-Star, and spent a lot of time with him during the weekend. "From the beginning, we had many good talks and we just hit it off," Allen said. "I soaked it all in. He talked to me about how to work with the pitchers, and how important the relationship is between pitchers and catchers. The whole game is based on that." Allen plans on soon signing a letter of commitment to play for Wabash Valley Junior College, and of course will finish his season at Cincinnati Country Day as it pursues a state championship. He also hopes his exposure to the Dream Series camp will help get him selected in the 2017 MLB Draft. "I'm definitely looking forward to the Draft," he said. Allen will also continue to spend time at the Urban Youth Academy.