Right on the heels of the Jonny Gomes trade, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports that the Reds have called up top prospect Yonder Alonso from Triple-A Louisville.
Alonso, 24, has a .293/.370/.466 batting line over parts of four seasons in the minor leagues, including a .296/.364/.478 batting line and an .842 OPS over 854 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. While his power hasn’t progressed as quickly as hoped, he has plate discipline (203/148 K/BB ratio) beyond his years.
Originally drafted as a first baseman out of the University of Miami in 2008, Alonso almost certainly would have been in the major leagues already if it wasn’t for the presence of 2010 National League MVP Joey Votto on the big league roster. The only thing holding him back has been finding another position. Alonso has played 62 games in left field with the Bats this season, so he figures to share playing time with Chris Heisey and Fred Lewis in the interim.