The state of Florida has become quite familiar with Jonathan India. The Cincinnati Reds drafted him in the First Round of the MLB Draft (#5 overall) in 2018. He is already ranked the #3 prospect in their system. The former Florida Gator currently plays for the Daytona Tortugas in the Florida State League.
The Coral Springs native had already established himself as a standout in his college career at Florida. In his first season with the Gators, India was named to the SEC All-Freshman team and a Freshman All-American. In 2017, he would help lead the Gators to a National Championship. India would be named SEC Player of the Year and First Team All-American in 2018. In his three seasons with UF, India hit .310 (.350 in 2018), .941 OPS, 31 HRs, 126 RBIs and 41 stolen bases in 194 games. He was also known for his glove at Third Base, earning a spot on the 2018 SEC All-Defensive Team.
After a powerhouse season in 2018, India would play an additional 44 games in the minors with Billings (Rookie), Greeneville (Rookie) and Dayton (Full-A). He hit 6 HRS, 26 RBIs, stole 6 bases while hitting .240/.814 OPS. This season, India represented the Tortugas in the Florida State League All-Star Game. He’s currently hitting .255/.765 OPS, 8 HRs, 30 RBIs and 7 SBs through 83 games. Daytona finished 35-30 in the first half and currently sit at 12-14 in the second half, 5.5 games behind Dunedin in the FSL North.
As India works his way through the Reds farm system, the big question would be if they would shift Eugenio Suarez to Shortstop to make space for India at Third. If India’s career continues down the path it has been moving, that question may be answered before too long.
