It sounds absurd to say it, but 2019 will already be the 8th calendar year in which Jesse Winker has been a part of the Cincinnati Reds organization. Since being drafted 49th overall in the 2012 MLB Draft out of high school, he’s long been touted as a plus hitter with excellent strike zone recognition, and we finally, finally got to see his sweet left-handed swing on display during the best stretch of Reds baseball in years early last summer.
In a 46 game stretch from May 23rd until he injured his shoulder running the bases on July 23rd, Winker wasn’t just a rookie finally making some noise, he was legitimately one of the most elite hitters in all of baseball.