The Defensive Development of Reds Prospect Alfredo Duno

Sitting across from Alfredo Duno, you’d never know what a blur the last several years have been.

The Venezuela native flashes a grin, followed by a firm handshake. Still just 20 years old, Duno’s impact within minor league baseball is proving to be well beyond his years.

“He’s special,” a National League scout said. “He’s something really special. He plays bigger than his age, and obviously, the kid is built like a tank. Combine the power with the makeup, and that’s a guy you’re going to see around for a long time.”

Signed by the Cincinnati Reds for $3.1 million in the 2023 international draft class, Duno’s ascent through the Cincinnati farm system has picked up since last season. After slashing .287/.430/.518 with a .948 OPS and 18 home runs in the Florida State League in 2025, Duno received an invite to the Arizona Fall League, making him one of the youngest players at nearly three years younger than the league’s average age.

While Duno’s overall Fall League numbers didn’t necessarily stand out on their own, the 19-year-old used the Fall League semifinal to put on an offensive masterclass.

Duno went 3-for-5 at the plate with three, yes, three home runs and six RBI for the Peoria Javelinas.

Duno showed, just as the Reds hoped, that he was built for an aggressive assignment. His Fall League playoff performance set the table for an introduction to the Midwest League to start the 2026 regular season.

First on the list of adaptations to the league? The weather.

“Yeah, the beginning of the season was a little bit tough for me because I never played in cold weather like that,” Duno said. “I played in 30 or 35 degrees. It was a little bit tough, but I love to play baseball, so no matter what the weather is, I’m going to play hard.”

The weather, as it does for any young player not used to the conditions, did indeed factor into Duno’s introduction to the league.

In April, Duno slashed .213/.362/.347 with two home runs and 12 RBI.

The following month, the 20-year-old found his rhythm, slashing .338/.475/.713 with a 1.188 OPS and eight home runs.

For Duno, the power has always been there. For the Dayton coaching staff, it became a task of refining what was right in front of them.

“The good thing with him is he has so much power in his body that he doesn’t have to try to hit the ball out,” Dayton hitting coach Troy Gingrich said. “If he hits the ball on the barrel, he’s going to hit the ball very hard.”

“So it’s been more of just trusting the process,” Gingrich continued. “Learning what it means to be ready to hit the fastball and adjusting to off-speed stuff that’s in the zone. Those have been a lot of our talks about just becoming more of a complete hitter.”

Leading into the 2026 season, Duno, who carries a naturally solid frame, also made some adjustments to his nutrition, cutting down on sugar and carbohydrates, resulting in a 15-pound weight loss.

Duno views every move he’s made as a contributing factor to his growth both at the plate and behind it.

“I think I’ve got power in my whole body,” Duno said. “In my upper and my lower body as well. So, I’m just trying to work on my strength and conditioning every day. This year, I’m working with my hitting coach on my lower body, just trying to be more relaxed.”

Defensive Development

Behind the plate, Duno fits the mold. Boasting a plus arm and advanced instincts, especially for his age, Duno hasn’t allowed his youth to hold him back from developing his leadership with his pitching staff.

“He’s grown so much from the beginning of the season to where he’s at now,” Gingrich said. “A lot of that is maturity, understanding, because of the position he plays and how important that position is.”

In 2026, two of Duno’s primary goals behind the plate have been framing and communication. With his plus arm to build around, he is set on perfecting any aspect of defense that could ultimately propel him to become the leader he wants to be behind the plate.

“Everybody knows framing is key for the catcher, so that’s my main focus right now,” Duno said. “I’m working hard on my framing with the coaches.

“The communication is key. The way I call the game, I think that it’s really important for me. I think (as catchers), we need to be in a good spot with trying to help the pitchers. I’m the guy to go to the scouting reports and see the hitters, and everything we’re going to face. I think confidence behind the plate is really good.”

At the major league level, Duno has found inspiration on both sides of the ball from fellow countryman Salvador Perez. Growing up roughly three hours from the Royals backstop, Duno has carried a long admiration for the Valencia native.

“I watched Salvador Perez when I was growing up,” Duno said. “He was a good catcher, and now he’s a good hitter as well. He was my favorite player at that time, and he’s a good person and a good player like I want to be.”

To end the month of June, the Reds rewarded Duno with another aggressive assignment, promoting him to Double-A Chattanooga, along with an invitation to the 2026 MLB Futures Game. As always, Duno is thriving.

“He’s just an awesome, awesome kid,” Gingrich said. “He cares about winning. He loves his teammates. All the players love him. He’s learning the importance of not only hitting, but also being a premier type of catcher.

“Those guys who can do it on the defensive side and also on the offensive side are really difficult to find. You’re talking about a rare few. The type of players that are in the big leagues. He has that potential.”