Rece Hinds: What to know about Reds' outfielder whose MLB debut has been dream come true

Rece Hinds has displayed plenty of power in the minors since the Cincinnati Reds drafted him.

Hinds is also known to make a splash in a debut. He crushed a home run off the batter's eye against the Milwaukee Brewers in his first at-bat of the spring, and his first-ever hit for the Triple-A Louisville Bats was a long homer.

Wearing No. 77, the Florida native couldn't have asked for a more memorable Major League Baseball debut Monday night against the Colorado Rockies. He made a sliding catch, had a "hustle double" for his first big-league hit, and launched an 8th-inning home run 449 feet for his first MLB homer.

In his second game, Hinds doubled, tripled and hit an even longer homer into the Great American Ball Park bleachers, this one 458 feet. On Friday, he added his first grand slam.

Hinds, who turns 24 in September, started the 2024 season on Louisville's roster. He hit seven homers in six games last season for Double-A Chattanooga.

What to know about Hinds, who ranks 15th among MLB Pipeline's top Reds prospects, and his impressive big-league debut:

The Reds made Hinds a second-round pick in 2019.

One round after taking pitcher Nick Lodolo, the Reds took Hinds with the eighth pick (49th overall) in the second round.

The Baltimore Orioles selected infielder Gunnar Henderson seven picks before Hinds. The Seattle Mariners drafted pitcher Brandon Williamson later in the second round. They traded Williamson to the Reds along with Justin Dunn, Jake Fraley and Connor Phillips for Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker.

Hinds committed to LSU before the Reds drafted him.

Hinds committed to the Tigers as a 16-year-old sophomore at Florida's Niceville High School.

Hinds chose the Reds and a signing bonus of about $1.8 million over Baton Rouge after playing his senior year of high school at Bradenton's IMG Academy.

Hinds once battled Bobby Witt Jr. at a home run derby.

In 2018, Hinds faced the Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. in the final round of the high school Home Run Derby at Nationals Park, which took place during the MLB All-Star Game home run derby. The second overall pick of the 2019 draft edged Hinds, 8-7.

Hinds hit 25 homers in two rounds, including 17 in the first round. One of Hinds' HRs traveled an estimated 485 feet.

Hinds has been plagued by injuries and strikeouts since the Reds drafted him.

A quad injury limited Hinds to three games the season after the Reds selected him.

In 2021, he missed one month with a torn meniscus in his left knee and played just 43 games at Low-A Daytona.

In 2022, Hinds broke the hamate in his left hand and missed six weeks.

Hinds was batting .216 with 13 homers, 12 stolen bases and 126 strikeouts in 328 plate appearances this season for the Bats when the Reds promoted him.

Hinds transitioned from infield to outfield.

The Reds drafted Hinds as an infielder. He played third base at Rookie-level Greeneville in 2019 and at Daytona in 2021.

He played right field and left field for High-A Dayton in 2022.

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