Reds prospect Vidal has huge night
The eighth-round Draft pick hit three homers and collected eight RBIs to break out of a season-long slump Friday as the Arizona League Reds overwhelmed the Dodgers, 19-4.
Vidal began his professional career with Rookie-level Billings in the Pioneer League and batted .172 without an extra-base hit or an RBI in eight games. Assigned to the Arizona League, he was mired in a 2-for-20 slump heading into Friday's game.
After grounding out and reaching on an error in his first two plate appearances, the 20-year-old third baseman led off the fifth inning with a home run. He slugged a three-run shot in the sixth and highlighted a seven-run seventh with a grand slam.
Vidal, a native of Hialeah, Fla., walked and scored in the ninth as he doubled his batting average to .200 in six Arizona League games.
Robert Maddox, an 18th-round pick last month, went 4-for-6 with four RBIs and fell a triple shy of the cycle for the Reds. Former Dominican Summer League All-Star Samuel Diaz also had four hits and scored four times.