Sammy Stafura was batting .262 with 28 stolen bases for the Daytona Tortugas, and was ranked ninth among MLB Pipeline's top Reds prospects.
Shortstop Sammy Stafura had emerged as one of the Cincinnati Reds' most exciting prospects when he was traded July 30 to the Pittsburgh Pirates for third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes.
Stafura is a 20-year-old infielder. He was playing his first full season for the Low-A Daytona Tortugas and batting .262 with four homers, nine triples, 48 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in 402 plate appearances.
Stafura started the 2024 season with the Arizona Complex League Reds. He was promoted to Daytona after hitting .346 with an OPS of 1.031 in 69 plate appearances in the ACL.
What to know about Stafura, who was ranked ninth among MLB Pipeline's top Reds prospects:
The Reds drafted Stafura in the second round in 2023
Stafura, who turns 21 in November, was the third player the Reds selected in the 2023 draft. The Reds took Wake Forest pitcher Rhett Lowder and LSU pitcher Ty Floyd in the first round.
Stafura, drafted out of Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor, New York, was the 43rd player selected in the draft. He signed a bonus of $2,497,500.
Stafura had committed to Clemson when the Reds drafted him
Stafura committed to the Tigers in July 2021.
Stafura was named the 2022-23 Gatorade New York Baseball Player of the Year. As a senior, Stafura led Panas HS to a Section 1 title while batting .562 in 26 games, with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.
Reds amateur scouting director Joe Katuska told The Enquirer that the Reds didn't think Stafura, ranked 34th among ESPN's draft prospects, would fall to the Reds at No. 43.
"Sammy is a tremendous athlete," Katuska said. "Plus run, plus arm, good shortstop actions with a bat that we've seen and like. There's power potential."
Stafura bounced back after struggling to hit in his first 12 games in the ACL. He had just three hits in 53 PAs with 23 strikeouts.
"It's never clear how a high school player from a cold-weather state is going to transition to pro ball after signing," Stafura's MLB Pipeline profile read. "His debut in the Arizona Complex League was a very brief 12-game stint, but showed it might take a little time for the infielder to get acclimated."
Stafura's parents came to the United States from Slovakia
"My dad came here when he was 18, and my mom came here when she was like 9. My dad came here with no English and a $100 bill," Stafura said, per yonkerstimes.com. "He found a way to become a successful man. My motivation comes from that. If he had no excuses for becoming the man he is now, then there shouldn't be any excuses for me. I can do anything I put my mind to."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds trade shortstop Sammy Stafura to Pirates in Ke'Bryan Hayes deal
Category: Baseball
