Leonardo Balcazar

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #8 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: On a talented Low-A Daytona team that included first-rounders Cam Collier and Sal Stewart plus emerging talents Carlos Jorge and Hector Rodriguez, it was Balcazar who looked in the early going to be the Tortugas’ star. He was the club’s everyday shortstop and ranked in the top 10 in the Florida State League in most offensive categories. But Balcazar’s season ended prematurely after 18 games. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while scoring the deciding run in Daytona’s walk-off win in the second game of a doubleheader on April 30. He had surgery to repair the ligament and missed the remainder of the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Assuming Balcazar makes a full recovery from his knee surgery, he has the makings of an everyday shortstop who can serve as a top-of-the-order hitter. The Reds have made a recent emphasis on signing and developing polished hitters, and Balcazar, a career .300 hitter in the minor leagues, fits the bill. He has a very simple balanced setup with a modest load and good timing. The righthanded hitter’s swing is geared for singles and doubles into the gaps, though he can yank a ball over the left field fence if pitchers make a mistake. Balcazar is a smooth, gliding shortstop with above-average range and an above-average arm. Before the knee injury, he was an average runner and occasional basestealing threat.
  
  The Future: The Reds have been encouraged by how Balcazar turned a setback into an opportunity. He’s added 10 pounds of good weight while rehabbing his knee injury and was taking swings again in October. The recovery time for ACL surgery is about nine months, meaning that Balcazar should be at full speed for Opening Day 2024.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 30 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #20 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: The Reds have gone from signing high-ceiling international amateurs with modest baseball skills but massive baseball tools. The new approach is best exemplified by players like Balcazar. He's not physically imposing, but he's been one of the better players in the Dominican Summer League in 2021 and the Arizona Complex League in 2022. He finished in the top 10 in the ACL in batting average (.322), on-base percentage (.411) and stolen bases (13).
  
  Scouting Report: Balcazar is more pesky than intimidating, but he puts together quality at-bat after quality at-bat. He has enough power to yank an inside fastball over the wall, but he's most comfortable covering most of the plate with a contact-oriented approach. He needs to continue to improve his pitch recognition, but he's showing steady development there. Defensively, he's an above-average shortstop as far as range and hands, but the accuracy of his plus arm needs work. He committed 8 throwing errors in 31 games at shortstop. He's only an average runner, but an opportunistic one who swiped 13 bags in 14 tries.
  
  The Future: Balcazar may end up as an excellent utility infielder with contact skills, modest power and defensive versatility, but for now, he should get plenty of opportunity to show he can be a regular. So far, he's earning plenty of playing time.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 30. Field: 55. Run: 50. Arm: 60.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #27 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Ariel Almonte and Malvin Valdez were considered the top players in the Reds’ 2021 signing class and both are very good prospects. But shortstops Carlos Jorge and Balcazar have been at least as impressive if not more. Balcazar was the youngest player the Reds brought to their instructional league after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Balcazar has a chance to make an impact both at the plate and in the field. He showed advanced understanding of pitch selection and he has plus power potential as well. Unlike most teenagers, Balcazar showed he could clear the fence to all fields—he homered to center and right field in 2021. His athleticism is even more apparent in the field. He’s a potentially above-average defender with a plus arm and shared the shortstop job with Jorge in the DSL. As is true with most 17-year-old shortstops, Balcazar will have to work on his consistency and reliability. Seven of his 11 errors were fielding errors.
  
  The Future: Balcazar is an exciting blend of athleticism, potential and present skills. He’s ready to come to the U.S. to play in the Arizona Complex League in 2022.
  

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: The Reds have gone from signing high-ceiling international amateurs with modest baseball skills but massive baseball tools. The new approach is best exemplified by players like Balcazar. He's not physically imposing, but he's been one of the better players in the Dominican Summer League in 2021 and the Arizona Complex League in 2022. He finished in the top 10 in the ACL in batting average (.322), on-base percentage (.411) and stolen bases (13).
  
  Scouting Report: Balcazar is more pesky than intimidating, but he puts together quality at-bat after quality at-bat. He has enough power to yank an inside fastball over the wall, but he's most comfortable covering most of the plate with a contact-oriented approach. He needs to continue to improve his pitch recognition, but he's showing steady development there. Defensively, he's an above-average shortstop as far as range and hands, but the accuracy of his plus arm needs work. He committed 8 throwing errors in 31 games at shortstop. He's only an average runner, but an opportunistic one who swiped 13 bags in 14 tries.
  
  The Future: Balcazar may end up as an excellent utility infielder with contact skills, modest power and defensive versatility, but for now, he should get plenty of opportunity to show he can be a regular. So far, he's earning plenty of playing time.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 30. Field: 55. Run: 50. Arm: 60.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: The Reds have gone from signing high-ceiling international amateurs with modest baseball skills but massive baseball tools. The new approach is best exemplified by players like Balcazar. He's not physically imposing, but he's been one of the better players in the Dominican Summer League in 2021 and the Arizona Complex League in 2022. He finished in the top 10 in the ACL in batting average (.322), on-base percentage (.411) and stolen bases (13).
  
  Scouting Report: Balcazar is more pesky than intimidating, but he puts together quality at-bat after quality at-bat. He has enough power to yank an inside fastball over the wall, but he's most comfortable covering most of the plate with a contact-oriented approach. He needs to continue to improve his pitch recognition, but he's showing steady development there. Defensively, he's an above-average shortstop as far as range and hands, but the accuracy of his plus arm needs work. He committed 8 throwing errors in 31 games at shortstop. He's only an average runner, but an opportunistic one who swiped 13 bags in 14 tries.
  
  The Future: Balcazar may end up as an excellent utility infielder with contact skills, modest power and defensive versatility, but for now, he should get plenty of opportunity to show he can be a regular. So far, he's earning plenty of playing time.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 30. Field: 55. Run: 50. Arm: 60.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Ariel Almonte and Malvin Valdez were considered the top players in the Reds&#39 2021 signing class and both are very good prospects. But shortstops Carlos Jorge and Balcazar have been at least as impressive if not more. Balcazar was the youngest player the Reds brought to their instructional league after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Balcazar has a chance to make an impact both at the plate and in the field. He showed advanced understanding of pitch selection and he has plus power potential as well. Unlike most teenagers, Balcazar showed he could clear the fence to all fields—he homered to center and right field in 2021. His athleticism is even more apparent in the field. He&#39s a potentially above-average defender with a plus arm and shared the shortstop job with Jorge in the DSL. As is true with most 17-year-old shortstops, Balcazar will have to work on his consistency and reliability. Seven of his 11 errors were fielding errors.
  
  The Future: Balcazar is an exciting blend of athleticism, potential and present skills. He&#39s ready to come to the U.S. to play in the Arizona Complex League in 2022.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Ariel Almonte and Malvin Valdez were considered the top players in the Reds’ 2021 signing class and both are very good prospects. But shortstops Carlos Jorge and Balcazar have been at least as impressive if not more. Balcazar was the youngest player the Reds brought to their instructional league after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Balcazar has a chance to make an impact both at the plate and in the field. He showed advanced understanding of pitch selection and he has plus power potential as well. Unlike most teenagers, Balcazar showed he could clear the fence to all fields—he homered to center and right field in 2021. His athleticism is even more apparent in the field. He’s a potentially above-average defender with a plus arm and shared the shortstop job with Jorge in the DSL. As is true with most 17-year-old shortstops, Balcazar will have to work on his consistency and reliability. Seven of his 11 errors were fielding errors.
  
  The Future: Balcazar is an exciting blend of athleticism, potential and present skills. He’s ready to come to the U.S. to play in the Arizona Complex League in 2022.