Reds' Trammell hits his stride in Fall League

October 21st, 2018

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- With Arizona Fall League now in its second week, Taylor Trammell is hitting his stride at the plate. 
The Reds' No. 3 prospect erupted for four hits on Saturday including a run-scoring single in the top of the 11th inning that put Scottsdale ahead for good in a 9-7 win over Surprise at Surprise Stadium.
Gameday
"I asked our guys what the [pitcher] had, for a scouting report, and they said he had a nice two-seamer. He threw me one and it was a really good pitch to hit," said Trammell, MLB Pipeline's No. 17 overall prospect, about his decisive knock.
Trammell began his afternoon by hitting a double and a single, respectively, in his first two trips to the plate before grounding out in the fifth. He delivered an RBI single two innings later, and after another ground out in the ninth. The 21-year-old outfielder came through with what proved to be the game-winning hit in extra frames to finish 4-for-6 with two RBIs.
The multihit performance was Trammell's second so far in the AFL and also extended his hitting streak to five games. Overall, he's hit .294 with four RBIs in eight games.
"When I first got out here I was little bit anxious, trying to do too much," said Trammell, who collected just one hit across his first three games and 12 at-bats.
"After that," he continued, "I pretty much just told myself that I needed to take my time, get pitches to hit and not try to do too much. My job is to get on base and let the guys behind me drive me in."
Selected by the Reds with the No. 35 overall pick in the 2016 Draft and signed for above-slot at $3.2 million, Trammell opened eyes this year with an impressive age-20 campaign in the Class A Advanced Florida State League. Playing 110 games for Daytona, the left-handed hitting outfielder produced a .277/.375/.406 line with 31 extra-base hits (8 HR) and 25 steals en route to FSL midseason All-Star honors.
Trammell also participated in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and was named the event's Most Valuable Player after hitting a booming home run as well as a triple in his two at-bats for the U.S. team.
That success during the regular season has in turn helped Trammell prepare for the advanced competition he now faces in the AFL.
"It gave me a lot of confidence going into the Fall League," Trammell said. "I don't really care too much about showing other people what I can do; I've proved to myself that I can handle really good pitching, so all it is right now is staying consistent, not trying to do too much and learning every single day."
Also standing out offensively for Scottsdale were Phillies first baseman Darick Hall and Mets No. 2 prospect Peter Alonso.
Hall, who homered 26 times across two levels during the regular season, connected on a solo shot for his second AFL homer, while Alonso's two-run blast in the top of the ninth was key in helping the Scorpions force extra innings. The tape-measure blast to left field was the third home run this fall for the No. 58 overall prospect.
Pirates No. 5 prospect Cole Tucker paced Surprise at the plate with a 2-for-5, three-RBI performance. He put the Saguaros on the board with a two-run double in the first inning and later sent the game to extra innings with an RBI single in the ninth. The shortstop is hitting .308 in the Fall League, with hits in five of six games.