Harrison will make the half-hour or so drive north Friday, then drive home after the Midwest League season opener against Lansing at Day Air Ballpark.
“I’ve made that drive home up and back twice this week, and I’ve almost got it figured out how many songs I’m going to hear in the car,” he said Wednesday afternoon.
Harrison’s wife, kids, parents, in-laws and other family members will be in the stadium Friday and many times this season.
“They’re already talking about Friday night,” he said. “I’m more excited to actually see the real thing and not talk about it anymore. Friday night can’t get here soon enough.”
With that in mind, here are five things to watch for as the season opens with a three-game series that includes 1:05 p.m. games on Saturday and Sunday:
1. See Lowder while you can
Rhett Lowder, last summer’s No. 1 draft pick, makes his pro debut Friday night as the starting pitcher. Lowder is ranked the No. 2 prospect in the Reds’ organization following a stellar career at Wake Forest. He was a non-roster invitee to big league camp in spring training.
“He looked like he belonged in big-league camp,” Harrison said. “This will be a good starting point for him. Maybe I’m being a little selfish, but I’m really happy that he’s on my team right now.”
Much of the speculation during the spring was that Lowder would start at least in AA Chattanooga. But the Reds have a lot of starting pitching depth. And they proved they wouldn’t rush him when they rested his arm after he was signed last summer.
Harrison likes Lowder’s consistent pitching motion, his stuff and his even-keel demeanor on the mound.
“This guy is going to have a long career as long as he stays healthy,” Harrison said. “Hopefully he does things that help us win games, and I don’t know how long that’s going to be, but we’ll see.”
2. Competition at the hot corner
The Reds sent nine players to Dayton ranked in the team’s top 30 on different prospect lists. That includes third basemen Cam Collier and Sal Stewart. Collier was the Reds’ No. 1 choice in 2022, and Stewart was a supplemental first-round pick in 2022. Stewart played late in the 2023 season with the Dragons.
Harrison said both will play third base and DH. Stewart also will play some second base.
“That should help keep both of those guys on the field, keep both of those bats in our lineup at the same time,” Harrison said. “We get both of those guys going at the same time that’s definitely a plus for us.”
The infield talent doesn’t end at third base. Just like at the big-league level and the past two seasons in Dayton, the infield is flush with prospects. In addition to Collier and Stewart, the Dragons have highly rated middle infield prospects Carlos Jorge, also an outfielder, Leonardo Balcazar and Victor Acosta. The Dragons also return Ruben Ibarra at first base. He led the Dragons in home runs and RBIs last year.
3. Youth in the lineup
While the prospect tag hangs around a lot position players’ necks, it is a young group. Collier, Acosta and Balcazar are 19. Stewart, Jorge and infielder Jose Serrano are 20. Players that age sometimes struggle to hit consistently in High-A.
Harrison is glad to have them and sees a high ceiling for them, but he said he and his coaches must remember that they are young.
“The biggest challenge is being a pro everyday and figuring out how to be a pro when things aren’t going well,” Harrison said. “To teach them the ways to deal with the failure and also how to handle the success. These guys should be freshmen and sophomores in college playing with an aluminum bat. But they’re playing in the Midwest league with guys who will be big-leaguers.”
4. Allen’s second try in Dayton
Jay Allen II is 21, a supplemental first-round pick in 2021 and the Reds’ No. 25 prospect. This time a year ago Allen was a top-20 prospect, but injuries limited him to 25 games in Dayton. He was expected to lead the offense in Dayton last year along with shortstop Edwin Arroyo.
But Allen, an outfielder, never got going and batted .154 and slugged .220 for the Dragons. His speed and career .353 on-base percentage could be a big part of the Dragons’ offense.
“I feel like Jay has a little more confidence coming into here this time of year than maybe he did last year,” Harrison said. “Knowing the ballpark, knowing the outfield, how the ball plays off the walls, I think those are advantages that he already has over some of these guys.”
5. Familiar faces
Ibarra, a fan favorite for his long home runs, size (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) and constant smile, heads the list of 15 players who wore the Dragons’ uniform last year.
In addition to Ibarra, Allen, Stewart, Jorge and Serrano, returning position players are infielder Yan Contreras, oufielder Hector Rodriguez and catcher Cade Hunter.
Returning pitchers are Kevin Abel, Ryan Cardona, Tanner Cooper, Myles Gayman, Johnathan Harmon, Brody Jessee and Javi Rivera.
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