Dragons 2025 Team Preview, Part 4: Shortstops
The Dayton Dragons continue preparations for their historic 25th season at Day Air Ballpark. The Dragons home Opening Night game is set for Tuesday, April 8 against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at 7:05 pm at Day Air Ballpark. The Dragons will officially open their season on the road in 2025,
The Dayton Dragons continue preparations for their historic 25th season at Day Air Ballpark. The Dragons home Opening Night game is set for Tuesday, April 8 against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at 7:05 pm at Day Air Ballpark. The Dragons will officially open their season on the road in 2025, four days prior to their home opener, when they battle the West Michigan Whitecaps in Grand Rapids, Michigan at 6:35 pm on April 4.
The Dragons will open their 25th season with a special game on March 25 when the Cincinnati Reds battle a team of minor league prospects in Dayton at 6:10 pm. Minor League spring training games are ongoing in Arizona and continue through March 29. There are roughly 180 minor league players currently in competition for roster spots within the Reds organization in Arizona.
This is part four of an eight-part positional preview of the candidates for the Dragons 2025 roster. Players listed here are candidates for positions on the Dragons season-opening roster.
This preview is an unofficial projection of possible roster candidates. Minor League rosters are not established until April 1. Spring training variables including performance, injuries, trades, and additional player acquisitions will impact the roster accordingly.
For Dragons season ticket or group ticket information, go to daytondragons.com/tickets or call (937) 228-2287.
The Shortstops
Click links on each name for career stats and player information.
Candidates: Sammy Stafura, Leo Balcazar
Sammy Stafura looks like a strong candidate to be the Dragons everyday shortstop this season, and if the opening night roster does include Stafura, he would be the most highly-ranked prospect on the team, at least among position players.
Stafura, just 20 years old, is rated as the #8 prospect in the Reds organization. He was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft out of Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor, New York, about 40 miles north of New York City. Stafura was the Gatorade High School Player of the Year for the state of New York in 2023, when he batted .516, and was committed to play at Clemson.
Many observers felt Stafura would be a late first round draft pick in 2023, but the Reds got him with the fourth pick of the second round and signed him for $1.6 million. Not many high school players from northern states are taken that highly. Stafura was just the third high school hitter from New York taken within the first 50 picks of the draft in the last 10 years.
Stafura’s scouting report describes a well-rounded shortstop. He projects to be at least major league average in every area. His best tool is his speed; he is blazing fast. Baseball America referred to him as “a bouncy, quick-twitch athlete…has added size, strength and speed while retaining his athleticism.” Stafura is now listed at 6’0”, 201 lbs. Defensively, he has the range and arm strength to remain at shortstop all the way up the minor league ladder to the big leagues.
As a 19-year-old in his first professional season in 2024, Stafura began the year with the ACL Reds in Arizona, playing against a level of competition similar to his own age and experience. He tore up the league, batting .345 with seven extra base hits including two home runs in his first 15 games, and that was good enough for the Reds to move him up a level to Single-A Daytona in the Florida State League. He spent the rest of the 2024 season there and more than held his own in a very tough league for hitters while batting against pitchers who were typically 2-4 years older than he was. While the league average in the Florida State League in 2024 for hitters was just .229, Stafura hit .255 and belted six home runs in 77 games. His OPS of .754 was better than the league average of .679. He also stole 31 bases in 2024 between Daytona and the ACL, playing in a total of 93 games. Stafura has played in three Major League spring training games for the Reds this month and is 3 for 6 with a home run.
In conversations with Reds minor league infield coordinator Jose Nieves last season, Stafura’s name frequently came up. Nieves, the Dragons manager from 2013-2015, raved about Stafura’s mental makeup, competitive fire, leadership, maturity, and overall intangibles, describing them as being completely off the charts. Stafura visited Dayton this winter as part of the Reds Caravan tour.
At this point, Stafura would rank as the Reds second best shortstop prospect, behind only 2023 Dragons infielder Edwin Arroyo. Of course, the Reds have a player in the big leagues that they hope will be the shortstop for many, many years in former Dragon Elly De La Cruz, but they will still look to develop Stafura at his natural position for the foreseeable future.
As stated in our second base preview, there is also a chance that 2024 Dragons shortstop Leo Balcazar could return to the Dragons in 2025. Balcazar will be in competition this spring to make the roster at Double-A Chattanooga, and if he makes it there, as some expect he will, he will probably move to second base while Arroyo plays shortstop. If Balcazar does return to Dayton, he could play shortstop with Stafura starting the year back in Daytona, or Balcazar could play second base for the Dragons alongside Stafura in the middle infield.
Balcazar was coming off a serious knee injury in 2024 and made the jump to Dayton from Daytona as a 19 year old. It took him several months to really settle in. At the all-star break in July, Balcazar’s batting average stood at just .232 without a single home run on the year in 61 games. At that point, it seemed to be a virtual certainty that Balcazar would return to Dayton in 2025, hoping for better results. But as his knee got better, his performance dramatically improved in the final months of the 2024 season. From July 19 through the end of the season, Balcazar hit .309, and he connected on six home runs in 41 games. His slugging percentage over those final seven weeks was a very strong .475.
I think it could be a close call for the Reds and farm director Jeremy Farrell, but my best guess at this point is that if everyone is healthy, Balcazar will start at second base in Chattanooga with Stafura in Dayton at shortstop, Peyton Stovall at second base for the Dragons, and Victor Acosta in a utility role here. But I will not be surprised if Balcazar is back in Dayton and one of the two up-and-comers (Stafura or Stovall) starts back in Daytona.
Next up: Third Basemen
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring
'Hungry' Alcántara hoping to pounce on big league prey in '25
MESA, Ariz. -- The thing about jaguars is, you don’t want to see one when it’s hungry. So when Cubs legend Sammy Sosa spoke to the organization’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- and the No. 89 prospect overall -- the former slugger gave him some apt advice. “His
Rainiers broadcaster Pay talks historic role on MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Prospect Santos 'electric' in Spring Breakout start
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Malcolm Moore knew Winston Santos was locked in before he even threw a pitch. In the second annual Spring Breakout game, Santos -- the Rangers’ No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- was throwing to Moore, the Rangers’ No. 4 prospect and highest-ranked catcher. The battery more
Switch-pitcher Cijntje deals from both sides in Spring Breakout
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening. The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,”
Fans in this Minor League town are hungry for ... the Spicy Meatballs?!?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Chandler adds mix to upper-90s heat in stellar Spring Breakout start
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.