Reds Middle Infield Prospects: Lebron, Hall, Lewis and a Breakout AFL Star

If any part of the Cincinnati Reds organization has no weakness, it's the middle infield. On the big-league roster, that might not be the case. Behind Elly De La Cruz, there is a lot of uncertainty.

Matt McLain hasn't panned out, and Edwin Arroyo didn't impress during his stint with the major league club in 2026, as his power didn't translate from Triple-A.

However, the Reds have a litany of prospects, including a highly ranked one, who give the club hope that it could hit on one or more of them in the future.

The Reds selected Justin Lebron with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft. He's a high-ceiling, boom-or-bust power-and-speed combination from Alabama and currently the Reds' No. 3 prospect. The Reds selected Steele Hall with the No. 9 pick in the 2025 draft because of his contact bat and elite speed.

Tyson Lewis was drafted out of high school in the second round in 2024. He has vaulted up the Reds' rankings after posting good offensive numbers in 2025 and 2026, and he is now the Reds' No. 4 prospect.

However, one of the Reds' middle-infield prospects outside their top 10 has been tearing up the Arizona Fall League, making a case for a spot on the 40-man roster, which currently has 38 players.

Carlos Sanchez is hitting .304 with a 1.081 OPS and four home runs after leaving the yard twice Monday night. He ranks 16th in the AFL in batting average, third in home runs, seventh in OPS and fifth in RBIs with 13, and he is tied for 13th in stolen bases with five.

According to MLB.com, Sanchez can play third base, the outfield and shortstop. Since 2022, he has played right field 27 times, all in the Dominican Summer League. He played center field 12 times over two seasons with the Dayton Dragons and Daytona Tortugas.

Sanchez bounced between third base and shortstop until 2026, but he has played exclusively at shortstop and second base over 122 games at Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga since the start of the 2026 season.

It will be interesting to see what the Reds do with the 21-year-old left-handed hitter this season, as playing outside shortstop could get him to the major league roster sooner. Lewis is the only player I mentioned who has played a position other than shortstop, with 73 starts at third base since being drafted in 2024. Hall and Lebron have played exclusively at shortstop.

More roster spots will open up over the next week after the World Series concludes.