RSS Reds Team Notes

[Cincinnati Reds]

Tyler Callihan is the #18 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system!

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 03: Tyler Callihan #32 of the Cincinnati Reds hits an RBI single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Great American Ball Park on May 03, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. This was Callihan's first career hit. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tyler Callihan was playing the best baseball of his career in early 2025. After reaching AAA Louisville for a cameo at the end of 2024 (and raking during it), he began 2025 at the highest level of the minors and picked up right where he’d left off.

He mashed to the tune of .303/.410/.528 across 106 PA, showing the gap power and patience at the plate that have been his calling cards (when healthy) all through his pro career to date. That earned him a call-up to the Cincinnati Reds, one that went awry almost immediately when he dove for a ball in the outfield corner and broke his arm in two to nine places, ending his season.

Several surgeries later, Callihan is reportedly back in action and ready to compete again for a spot on the Reds roster, and will do so in 2025 in his age-26 season after being drafted by the Reds all the way back in the 3rd round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

He’s the #18 prospect in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, earning that honor after dominating the vote in a busy, crowded ballot.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/communi.../tyler-callihan-cincinnati-reds-top-prospects

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Sell the team, Phil

CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 11: Cincinnati Reds Chief Operating Officer Phil Castellini pumps up the crowd before The Budweiser All-Star Concert, Part of the Pepsi Concert Series at Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday, July 11, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Preston Mack/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images

Somewhat lost in the news circus today was that Phil Castellini, son of majority Cincinnati Reds owner Bob Castellini, was officially approved to succeed his father as controlling owner of the club. Charlie Goldsmith, formerly of The Enquirer (and now of his Charlie’s Chalkboard newsletter) relayed the news on Twitter earlier Thursday, noting that the AP had quotes about it from a Rob Manfred interview.

The AP reported today from a Rob Manfred press conference that Phil was approved to succeed Bob as the controlling owner. pic.twitter.com/dLwEPCKrcK

— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) February 13, 2026

This comes at the same time as the 20 year mark of the Castellini family being principal owners of the Reds, and it’s hard to put a defining word, phrase, or even moment on the field alongside that era.

Frustratingly cheap? Consistantly chasing mediocrity?

Simply just glad to be here?

A 20 year old copy of the email sent to Cincinnati Reds fans upon Bob Castellini taking ownership of the team.

It remains to be seen whether the club will fundamentally change with Phil under control. You’ll notice the Williams name in the above copied image, and that’s the same Williams family where former GM Dick Williams came from, too. So, while the first names gradually change when it comes to who’s in charge of this endeavor, always remember that it’s been a consistent family affair during one of the most mediocre stints in the franchise’s otherwise successful history.

Congrats on owning the team now, Phil.

Sell the team, Phil.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/latest-news/49701/cincinnati-reds-phil-castellini

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

How will the Reds juggle the 5th starter in their rotation?

PITTSBURGH, PA - AUGUST 08: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Red pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday, August 8, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joshua Veon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Nick Martinez was a starting pitcher for the 2025 Cincinnati Reds right up until he wasn’t. He’d start on Tuesday. He’d then start on Friday. Then, he’d take two weeks off and be a reliever every other day, sometimes for two, three innings at a time.

Martinez, who finalized a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday, was precisely the kind of malleable arm that made juggling the rest of the Reds rotation easy. After all, getting more than five arms to be ready only once every fifth day requires a kind of mathematic precision with roster planning and scheduling, and having someone who can do it on their own abbreviated schedule served as a major Band-Aid for manager Terry Francona and head pitching monk Derek Johnson along the way.

So, how will the Reds navigate that issue in 2026?

Complicating the process will be the inevitable innings limits on just about every single candidate for the job. Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson, and Julian Aguiar are each coming off almost completely lost 2025 seasons, and none of them is going to be tasked with getting 30 starts and 180 innings even if they simply refuse to allow hits and runs all year. Chase Burns, meanwhile, threw just 109.1 IP across four levels in 2026 after throwing just 100.0 at Wake Forest the year before, and the Reds clearly operated with innings limits in mind for him last year as they used him in the bullpen down the stretch to keep him available.

Four arms who will need some form of kid gloves all year, and four arms you’d love to still have ready and able for a playoff run come September. How, though, do you use them enough from April through August to get them to that point, though?

Will the Reds send Burns, perhaps, to the bullpen to begin the year, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon opined in his first stab at the Opening Day roster? Would the Reds consider piggy-backing two of these guys from the start?

Is it possible they’d be willing to, say, put Rhett Lowder in the rotation and tell him he’s got 15 starts and they’re shutting him down in July? Might they drag their feet on getting Williamson and Aguiar going in the minors, as both are coming off Tommy John surgeries?

Would they even consider going to a six-man rotation at any given point, or would that throw off the regularity enjoyed by the rest of the starters?

All of this, of course, assumes the health and progress of each of the four arms who are ‘known’ quantities in the rotation in Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, and Brady Singer. The best case scenario, obviously, is the four names I talked about earlier only having one opening in the rotation available to them. Complications will surely arise, though, and the Reds have enviable depth to be able to address them when they do…provided they can find a way to keep that many talented, deserving arms ready and able to go at any point this season.

It’s almost enough to make you wish Martinez was still around.

What say you?

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/peer-in...eds-rotation-battles-chase-burns-rhett-lowder

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Reds bring in 1B Nathaniel Lowe on minor league deal

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 26: Nathaniel Lowe #37 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a double during the second inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers on September 26, 2025 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

If someone told you right now that over the first four full years of Sal Stewart’s career he would hit .274/.359/.432 and average 20 HR a season, would you take it?

You’d probably take it!

The first four years of Nathaniel Lowe’s career saw him do exactly that, as from 2021 through 2024 he was the regular 1B on a Texas Rangers club that excelled all the way to the 2023 World Series title. The 2025 season, however, was another story altogether, as he hit just .228/.307/.381 split between the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox as he struggled to mesh with his new clubs.

Apparently, his 2025 work soured opinion on him enough that he was willing to accept a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, and on Friday that’s precisely what the Cincinnati Reds provided. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, Lowe will head to Goodyear and put in work in an attempt to make the Reds out of spring camp.

The Reds are bringing in Nathaniel Lowe on a non-roster deal, sources tell me and @m_sheldon.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 13, 2026

Now 30, Lowe is exclusively a 1B/DH guy at this point of his career, though he did dabble in work at 3B earlier on. What he has going for him particularly, though, is that he’s a left-handed hitter who consistently has hit RHP with aplomb, even to the tune of .252/.333/.429 in his otherwise down 2025 season. Considering each of Sal Stewart, Spencer Steer, and Eugenio Suarez bat from the right side of the plate in the 1B/DH conversation, there’s some consideration that throwing Lowe into that mix would add some balance to the depth.

Obviously, it’s a low-cost depth signing that brings in a pretty proven quantity with zero risk if he’s completely lost it. But if he hits in camp the way he has in the past, it gives the Reds some serious decisions to make. For instance, each of JJ Bleday and Will Benson – both left-handed swingers – have minor league options remaining, and if Lowe is mashing (and if Steer looks comfy in LF), carrying Lowe as the lefty bench bat and 1B/DH rotational partner could a) make the most sense for the big league roster and b) maximize the depth on the farm, too.

The Reds previously sprang to sign former Colorado Rockies 1B Michael Toglia to a similar deal, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand is also presumably fighting for a big league roster spot at the same time. Lowe has a much, much more extensive track record than either of those guys, though, and I’d wager that he immediately jumps them in the hierarchy for spots on the Opening Day roster if he shows up in camp and performs the way he’s shown on the back of his baseball card.

Nice pickup, Reds!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/hotstove/49711/nathaniel-lowe-cincinnati-reds-rumors

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Community Prospect Rankings: #19 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 07: Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs leans on the dugout wall prior to a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on June 07, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tyler Callihan enters camp in Goodyear looking to regain a spot on the active roster of the Cincinnati Reds after a devastating broken arm ended his 2025 season prematurely. Callihan also checks in as the #18 prospect in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings thanks to his gap power, good patience at the plate, and ability to man just about half the defensive positions on the field competently.

Now, we take the voting into the final few spots, with #18 next up on the list!

Per usual, you can find the link to the Google Form for voting right here, yet it’s also embedded at the bottom if you want to read through first and not have to embark upon the painstaking process of scrolling all the way back up here. Both link and embed will be removed once voting closes so you can’t stuff the ballot post facto, however, so be advised that this paragraph will make zero sense if you stumble back across it a year from now.

Here’s how the list has materialized so far:

1. Sal Stewart
2. Alfredo Duno
3. Rhett Lowder
4. Hector Rodriguez
5. Edwin Arroyo
6. Cam Collier
7. Steele Hall
8. Tyson Lewis
9. Chase Petty
10. Arnaldo Lantigua
11. Jose Franco
12. Zach Maxwell
13. Leo Balcazar
14. Adolfo Sanchez
15. Carlos Jorge
16. Aaron Watson
17. Julian Aguiar
18. Tyler Callihan

A large list of talented names exists below for spot #19. Have at it with the votes!

Liberts Aponte, SS (18 years old)​

2025 at a glance: .247/.368/.461 with 7 HR, 9 SB in 193 PA for DSL Rojos (Dominican Summer League)

Pros: 29/35 K/BB showed greatly improving strike zone awareness; already a plus defender at short where he projects to be excellent both with range and arm long-term

Cons: Still not viewed as a potential plus with the bat, though early returns are already better than original scouting reports; has a long way to go in terms of physically maturing

The Reds doled out $1.9 million to sign Aponte last January, and that marked the single largest contract they doled out in that particular international signing window. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #18 player overall in that class, noting he was ‘one of the most skilled defenders in his class’ and ‘offers solid wheels’ with ‘magic in his hands’ while doling out a 65 grade on his fielding ability.

The rest, we knew, would take time, as he was just liked at 6’0” and 160 lbs, and that even felt like a slight exaggeration. To his credit, though, he mashed 7 homers as a 17 year old in DSL play while showing more power than anticipated, and if that aspect of his game grows to match what’s already known the Reds have found themselves a gem.

It will be interesting to see if the Reds push him up to Arizona Complex League play at all in 2026 or give him another year in the DSL seeing as he just turned 18 years old in November.

Luke Holman, RHP (23 years old)​

2025 at a glance: ER, 2 H, 10 K, 4 BB in 9.0 IP with Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League

Pros: Two plus breaking pitches (slider, curve)

Cons: Not a ton of velocity on his fastball, which sits 91-94 mph

Luke Holman threw 109 pitches for LSU in a 6-2 loss to North Carolina on June 1st, 2024, a game in which he yielded 4 ER in 6.2 IP with 7 H, 11 K, and a lone walk. Since then, he’s thrown just 9.0 IP on a mound, total.

Holman, Cincinnati’s 2nd round pick in 2024, sat out the remainder of 2024 after being drafted, finishing his calendar year with 91.2 IP of 2.75 ERA ball that included a wonderful 0.98 WHIP and 127/33 K/BB. When his 2025 began in Daytona, all signs looked promising in his first pair of starts only for an elbow issue to subsequently sit him down and require Tommy John surgery, and we’ve not seen him since.

He sat 91-94 with his fastball (and touched 96) before, and has a pair of wicked breaking balls that he uses as his out pitches. If he returns to form in 2026 the way he ways before (or even better!), he still profiles as a back-end starter who should move quickly through Cincinnati’s system after dominating SEC play in stints first with Alabama and later with LSU.

Mason Morris, RHP (22 years old)​

2025 at a glance: 9.00 ERA, 7/1 K/BB in 4.0 IP with Class-A Daytona Tortugas; 3.29 ERA, 78/31 K/BB in 54.2 IP with University of Mississippi

Pros: Fastball that can touch 100 mph; four-pitch mix

Cons: Lack of experience

Mason Morris landed with Ole Miss in 2023 primarily as a corner infielder, and the now 6’4” 225 lb righty only recently became a full-time pitcher prior to the Reds selecting him with their 3rd round pick in 2025. He’s got projection through the roof, though, with a 100 mph heater, plus cutter, and a pair of other breaking balls that look like they’ve also got the juice.

The question, though, is how Cincinnati plans to use him.

Morris only got a pair of outings as a pro after being drafted, and it appears the Reds have intentions on seeing if he can develop into a starting pitcher. That’s something he’s never really done before, however, and he’ll turn 23 years old in August of 2026. So, we’ll see how long of a leash the Reds give him with that avenue, since if they want to simply keep him in the bullpen there’s very little reason why he shouldn’t rocket through the minors and give them a legit relief arm at the big league level in short order.

Mason Neville, OF (22 years old)​

2025 at a glance: .247/.333/.442 with 1 HR, 2 SB in 90 PA with Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League); .290/.429/.724 with 26 HR, 9 SB in 280 PA with University of Oregon

Pros: 60-grade power with potential plus arm and plus speed & baserunning; chance to stick in CF, though still profiles as a solid RF if moved to the corner; led Division I with 26 HR in final season at Oregon

Cons: Lots of swing and miss in his game, at times, including a 34.4% rate in his short sample with Daytona

The Reds clearly love Neville, as they drafted him in the 18th round out of high school 2022 only to watch him initially attend the University of Arkansas. After transferring to Oregon and swatting more dingers than anyone else in 2025, the Reds went back to him in the 4th round of the most recent draft.

Neville is incredibly toolsy, his left-handed swing producing significant power when he makes contact. He’s good at working walks despite his swing-and-miss proclivities, and posesses the kind of athleticism and speed to be a legitimate CF.

His tiny sample with Daytona has some red flags with the Ks, but it’s such a small sample that it’s hard to take it with too much certainty. For instance, he hit .298/.365/.526 through his first 17 games there only to go 2 for 20 with 9 Ks across his final 6 games – that could, and likely is, all small-sample noise.

Big tools, that Neville. He could well be the steal of the 2025 draft.

Sheng-En Lin, RHP (20 years old)​

2025 at a glance: 3.06 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 61/15 K/BB in 47.0 IP split between ACL Reds (Arizona Complex League) and Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League); .172/.348/.310 with 2 HR in 113 PA with ACL Reds (Arizona Complex League)

Pros: Former two-way player has tons of athleticism; fastball that runs to 97 mph with three-pitch mix including curve and change; excellent command

Cons: Still building up innings; dropping hitting to focus on being a pitcher

Lin was signed for $1.2 million during the 2023 international signing period, and the Taiwan native spent the last trio of seasons in Arizona attempting to do both hitting and pitching. The hit tool stalled, though, as his K-rate spiked and power never arrived, and on pitching he’ll now focus after making a late-season cameo with Daytona after being promoted to full-season ball for the first time.

In very, very small samples, his work on the mound has been excellent. He’s the owner of an impressive 4.07 K/BB rate for his short career, and that’s with an impressive 11.7 K/9 that shows just how much of a strikeout pitcher he can be. His secondary pitches both flash plus grades, at times, and more consistency there with a fastball that hits 97 mph already (with perhaps more velocity coming as he focuses solely on the mound) could see him rocket up these rankings in short order…if he hits the ground running in April.

Ricky Cabrera, 3B (21 years old)​

2025 at a glance: .187/.276/.240 with 0 HR, 0 SB in 89 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)

Pros: Above-average power, speed, and hit tool, with an arm that’s good enough to play at 3B (if he can find his accuracy)

Cons: An absolutely lost 2025 season that included a season-ending knee injury

The optimist in you sees that Cabrera only just turned 21 years old in October, and in 2024 posted a 110 wRC+ with 11 HR and 19 SB in the pitcher-friendly confines of the Florida State League with Daytona (with said wRC+, along with his OPS, both ranking among that league’s top 10). That same optimist probably would point out that 2025 saw the Venezuela native play in the cold April weather of the Midwest League with Dayton for the first time, and he struggled mightily in those new conditions before a knee injury rendered his 2025 completely lost.

There’s still a lot to like about Cabrera, even though he’s physically matured off shortstop at this juncture and likely profiles as a 3B, or potentially at 2B defensively – with his defense needing just as much improvement as his bat at the moment, too. If the batting cage stuff can begin to translate onto the field again post-injury, there’s still a ton to like about the former $2.7 million signee and Top 5 overall international prospect from the 2022 class.

I’m assuming there is no pessimist in you, for now.

Hansel Jimenez, SS/3B (19 years old)​

2025 at a glance: .269/.374/.445 with 5 HR, 12 SB in 147 PA for DSL Reds (Dominican Summer League); .229/.345/.364 with 4 HR, 3 SB in 142 PA for Sydney Blue Sox (Australian Baseball League)

Pros: 70 grade raw power (per FanGraphs) with potential to be a plus runner, fielder, and have a plus arm

Cons: Potential swing and miss issues (25.9% K-rate in the DSL, 64% contact rate); may end up at 3B long term

Signed for an undisclosed amount during the 2024 international signing period, Jimenez has immediately hit the ground running in prospect circles with his mix of potentially elite athleticism and batted-ball metrics that jump right off the page.

After dabbling in DSL play in 2024 at age 17 (6 for 14 with a double and 4 steals in 5 G), he repeated that level in 2025 and more than held his own with an .820 OPS. Those solid surface stats hide his pretty monumental 45% hard-hit rate, 106 mph EV90, and maximum exit velocity of 113 mph – all numbers posted by an 18 year old. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs has him ranked 12th (right behind Tyson Lewis) and notes the multiple similarities between the two, though Jimenez is a full year younger.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/communi...9/community-prospect-rankings-cincinnati-reds

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Is this the year Terry Francona sprinkles some magic pixie dust on the Reds?

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after being mentioned during the Athletics Hall of Fame induction at Sutter Health Park on September 13, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As ridiculous question-themed title prompts go, this one might take the cake. It’s not without reference, however, as just last summer ESPN’s Jeff Passan referenced the legendary pixie dust of Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona as a means for the Reds to surge forward in the standings, something Tito did while up north in Cleveland for the better part of a decade.

While the science behind said pixie dust is questionable, at best, the reality is that the Reds do have one of baseball’s greatest ever managers in their dugout right now, and he’s entering the second year at the helm. He knows the dugout at this point, and the lack of turnover suggests he’s on-board with how it’s been put together. At this juncture, there’s a familiarity that, in theory, should breed a heightened sense of togetherness in the locker room, something Francona has helped foster at just about every stop in his career.

That career is on the cusp of some even more significance, too.

Tito currently has 2033 career wins as a manager under his belt, good enough for 12th most in Major League Baseball history right now. Of the 11 managers ahead of him on the list, 9 are already Hall of Famers and the other two – Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker – will undoubtedly be in there in short order. Joe McCarthy currently sits 10th on the all-time wins list at 2125, meaning a 93 win season from this Reds club would vault Francona into the Top 10 in all-time wins.

Francona has also guided teams to the playoffs on 12 different occasions. That’s a number that’s good for fifth most all-time, and making it back to the postseason with this Reds club would give him 13 times in the playoffs – a number that would tie Baker for fourth most all-time.

Only 11 managers in MLB history have won more than a pair of World Series titles, with Tito currently sitting on the two that he won in his days with the Boston Red Sox. Should the Reds go all the way this year and claim a title, he’d be tied with Tony La Russa, Dave Roberts, John McGraw, Sparky Anderson, and Miller Huggins with a trio. Only six managers in MLB history have won more than 3 World Series titles.

It’s a testament to his character, the longevity to reach these potential milestones. It’s a testament to his talent and feel for the position, too. Now, it’s up to this young Reds club to begin to truly embrace what it means to be a Francona-led ball club and take the next step up from simply being slightly better than average, and if they do, the future Hall of Famer in the dugout next to them will find himself in even more rarified air all-time.

It’s all up to the pixie dust.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/lists-rankings/49707/terry-francona-pixie-dust-all-time-manager-records

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Sheng-En Lin is the #19 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system!

Daytona Tortugas pitcher Sheng-En Lin (8) pitches during the game against Lakeland Flying Tigers , Sunday, Sept. 14 2025 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach. | Nadia Zomorodian/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s hard to process just how complicated it must be to be a two-way professional baseball player. There’s a reason, after all, while the list of those who have successfully pulled it off in the modern age consists of Shohei Ohtani and literally nobody else.

So, when you look at what Sheng-En Lin pulled off during the 2025 season in the Cincinnati Reds system, you’ve got to view it through the lens of a player who’s been trying to both pitch and hit since signing with the club at age 17.

The 2025 season for him also featured a series of notable twists. First, he stopped being a position player mid-year after being promoted to Class-A Daytona of the Florida State League after slumping to a .172/.348/.310 line in his third trip through Arizona Complex League play. But when he got to the Tortugas, he picked up pitching again in actual games for the first time since signing with the Reds as an international free agent, and immediately hit the ground running with a 3.06 ERA and 61/15 K/BB in 47.0 IP.

In one season he dropped being a hitter for the first time, returned to pitching in games after a two-year hiatus, and got promoted to A-ball mid-season, yet still found a way to thrive. And now that he’s going to focus solely on pitching, there’s sincere hope that he’ll both gain velocity back that he’d shown earlier in his career and continue to dazzle, as that’s what we’ve seen from him already in a very short stint.

Sheng-En Lin is the #19 prospect in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, earning that honor by the narrowest of margins in the latest round of voting.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/communi...22/sheng-en-lin-cincinnati-reds-top-prospects

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Community Prospect Rankings: #20 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system

CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 09: A Cincinnati Reds mascot stands on the field beofre the game between the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park on September 09, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Aaron Doster/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Sheng-En Lin claimed the #19 spot in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, doing so after finally getting shifted to a pitch-only player after having previously been considered a two-way prospect. The results were quite good on the mound as he reached Class-A Daytona, and the hope now is that as he focuses solely on the mound that he’ll continue to improve and refine his already talented approach.

Now, we take the voting into the final spot, with #20 next up on the list!

Per usual, you can find the link to the Google Form for voting right here, yet it’s also embedded at the bottom if you want to read through first and not have to embark upon the painstaking process of scrolling all the way back up here. Both link and embed will be removed once voting closes so you can’t stuff the ballot post facto, however, so be advised that this paragraph will make zero sense if you stumble back across it a year from now.

Here’s how the list has materialized so far:

1. Sal Stewart
2. Alfredo Duno
3. Rhett Lowder
4. Hector Rodriguez
5. Edwin Arroyo
6. Cam Collier
7. Steele Hall
8. Tyson Lewis
9. Chase Petty
10. Arnaldo Lantigua
11. Jose Franco
12. Zach Maxwell
13. Leo Balcazar
14. Adolfo Sanchez
15. Carlos Jorge
16. Aaron Watson
17. Julian Aguiar
18. Tyler Callihan
19. Sheng-En Lin

A large list of talented names exists below for spot #20. Have at it with the votes!

Liberts Aponte, SS (18 years old)​

2025 at a glance: .247/.368/.461 with 7 HR, 9 SB in 193 PA for DSL Rojos (Dominican Summer League)

Pros: 29/35 K/BB showed greatly improving strike zone awareness; already a plus defender at short where he projects to be excellent both with range and arm long-term

Cons: Still not viewed as a potential plus with the bat, though early returns are already better than original scouting reports; has a long way to go in terms of physically maturing

The Reds doled out $1.9 million to sign Aponte last January, and that marked the single largest contract they doled out in that particular international signing window. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #18 player overall in that class, noting he was ‘one of the most skilled defenders in his class’ and ‘offers solid wheels’ with ‘magic in his hands’ while doling out a 65 grade on his fielding ability.

The rest, we knew, would take time, as he was just liked at 6’0” and 160 lbs, and that even felt like a slight exaggeration. To his credit, though, he mashed 7 homers as a 17 year old in DSL play while showing more power than anticipated, and if that aspect of his game grows to match what’s already known the Reds have found themselves a gem.

It will be interesting to see if the Reds push him up to Arizona Complex League play at all in 2026 or give him another year in the DSL seeing as he just turned 18 years old in November.

Luke Holman, RHP (23 years old)​

2025 at a glance: ER, 2 H, 10 K, 4 BB in 9.0 IP with Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League

Pros: Two plus breaking pitches (slider, curve)

Cons: Not a ton of velocity on his fastball, which sits 91-94 mph

Luke Holman threw 109 pitches for LSU in a 6-2 loss to North Carolina on June 1st, 2024, a game in which he yielded 4 ER in 6.2 IP with 7 H, 11 K, and a lone walk. Since then, he’s thrown just 9.0 IP on a mound, total.

Holman, Cincinnati’s 2nd round pick in 2024, sat out the remainder of 2024 after being drafted, finishing his calendar year with 91.2 IP of 2.75 ERA ball that included a wonderful 0.98 WHIP and 127/33 K/BB. When his 2025 began in Daytona, all signs looked promising in his first pair of starts only for an elbow issue to subsequently sit him down and require Tommy John surgery, and we’ve not seen him since.

He sat 91-94 with his fastball (and touched 96) before, and has a pair of wicked breaking balls that he uses as his out pitches. If he returns to form in 2026 the way he ways before (or even better!), he still profiles as a back-end starter who should move quickly through Cincinnati’s system after dominating SEC play in stints first with Alabama and later with LSU.

Mason Morris, RHP (22 years old)​

2025 at a glance: 9.00 ERA, 7/1 K/BB in 4.0 IP with Class-A Daytona Tortugas; 3.29 ERA, 78/31 K/BB in 54.2 IP with University of Mississippi

Pros: Fastball that can touch 100 mph; four-pitch mix

Cons: Lack of experience

Mason Morris landed with Ole Miss in 2023 primarily as a corner infielder, and the now 6’4” 225 lb righty only recently became a full-time pitcher prior to the Reds selecting him with their 3rd round pick in 2025. He’s got projection through the roof, though, with a 100 mph heater, plus cutter, and a pair of other breaking balls that look like they’ve also got the juice.

The question, though, is how Cincinnati plans to use him.

Morris only got a pair of outings as a pro after being drafted, and it appears the Reds have intentions on seeing if he can develop into a starting pitcher. That’s something he’s never really done before, however, and he’ll turn 23 years old in August of 2026. So, we’ll see how long of a leash the Reds give him with that avenue, since if they want to simply keep him in the bullpen there’s very little reason why he shouldn’t rocket through the minors and give them a legit relief arm at the big league level in short order.

Mason Neville, OF (22 years old)​

2025 at a glance: .247/.333/.442 with 1 HR, 2 SB in 90 PA with Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League); .290/.429/.724 with 26 HR, 9 SB in 280 PA with University of Oregon

Pros: 60-grade power with potential plus arm and plus speed & baserunning; chance to stick in CF, though still profiles as a solid RF if moved to the corner; led Division I with 26 HR in final season at Oregon

Cons: Lots of swing and miss in his game, at times, including a 34.4% rate in his short sample with Daytona

The Reds clearly love Neville, as they drafted him in the 18th round out of high school 2022 only to watch him initially attend the University of Arkansas. After transferring to Oregon and swatting more dingers than anyone else in 2025, the Reds went back to him in the 4th round of the most recent draft.

Neville is incredibly toolsy, his left-handed swing producing significant power when he makes contact. He’s good at working walks despite his swing-and-miss proclivities, and posesses the kind of athleticism and speed to be a legitimate CF.

His tiny sample with Daytona has some red flags with the Ks, but it’s such a small sample that it’s hard to take it with too much certainty. For instance, he hit .298/.365/.526 through his first 17 games there only to go 2 for 20 with 9 Ks across his final 6 games – that could, and likely is, all small-sample noise.

Big tools, that Neville. He could well be the steal of the 2025 draft.

Ricky Cabrera, 3B (21 years old)​

2025 at a glance: .187/.276/.240 with 0 HR, 0 SB in 89 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)

Pros: Above-average power, speed, and hit tool, with an arm that’s good enough to play at 3B (if he can find his accuracy)

Cons: An absolutely lost 2025 season that included a season-ending knee injury

The optimist in you sees that Cabrera only just turned 21 years old in October, and in 2024 posted a 110 wRC+ with 11 HR and 19 SB in the pitcher-friendly confines of the Florida State League with Daytona (with said wRC+, along with his OPS, both ranking among that league’s top 10). That same optimist probably would point out that 2025 saw the Venezuela native play in the cold April weather of the Midwest League with Dayton for the first time, and he struggled mightily in those new conditions before a knee injury rendered his 2025 completely lost.

There’s still a lot to like about Cabrera, even though he’s physically matured off shortstop at this juncture and likely profiles as a 3B, or potentially at 2B defensively – with his defense needing just as much improvement as his bat at the moment, too. If the batting cage stuff can begin to translate onto the field again post-injury, there’s still a ton to like about the former $2.7 million signee and Top 5 overall international prospect from the 2022 class.

I’m assuming there is no pessimist in you, for now.

Hansel Jimenez, SS/3B (19 years old)​

2025 at a glance: .269/.374/.445 with 5 HR, 12 SB in 147 PA for DSL Reds (Dominican Summer League); .229/.345/.364 with 4 HR, 3 SB in 142 PA for Sydney Blue Sox (Australian Baseball League)

Pros: 70 grade raw power (per FanGraphs) with potential to be a plus runner, fielder, and have a plus arm

Cons: Potential swing and miss issues (25.9% K-rate in the DSL, 64% contact rate); may end up at 3B long term

Signed for an undisclosed amount during the 2024 international signing period, Jimenez has immediately hit the ground running in prospect circles with his mix of potentially elite athleticism and batted-ball metrics that jump right off the page.

After dabbling in DSL play in 2024 at age 17 (6 for 14 with a double and 4 steals in 5 G), he repeated that level in 2025 and more than held his own with an .820 OPS. Those solid surface stats hide his pretty monumental 45% hard-hit rate, 106 mph EV90, and maximum exit velocity of 113 mph – all numbers posted by an 18 year old. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs has him ranked 12th (right behind Tyson Lewis) and notes the multiple similarities between the two, though Jimenez is a full year younger.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/communi...nity-prospect-rankings-top-20-cincinnati-reds

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Ricky Cabrera is the #20 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds system!

Daytona Tortugas infielder Ricardo Cabrera gives a thumbs-up, as players arrive at Jackie Robinson Ballpark and get settled in the clubhouse, Wednesday, April 3, 2024.

Voting for the final spot in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings was neck and neck, with both Ricky Cabrera and Mason Neville, at times, leading the voting. But when the clock expired at the arbitrary time that I enforced, it was Cabrera who was six votes ahead for spot #20 on the list.

A quick glance at the back of Cabrera’s baseball card would make the casual observer wonder what the heck he’d done to earn that ranking. His 2025 season was a nightmare as he hit just .187/.276/.240 in 21 games with High-A Dayton before a knee injury ended his season. However, he’s not too far removed from a 2024 campaign that saw him rank among the Top 10 in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League in homers (11, 9th), doubles (22, t-4th), and hits (102, 3rd), and he did that while being both just 19 years old and swiping 19 bags, too.

April in Dayton in 2025 was also his first stint playing baseball in cold weather, the Venezuela native having spend his pro career prior to that in the Dominican Summer League, Arizona Complex League, and with Daytona down in Florida. In other words, he didn’t even stay healthy long enough for the weather to turn into a more friendly environment.

He’s got potential plus power and potential plus speed, or at least he did prior to the knee injury. The excuses, though, are probably going to need to stop in 2026 as his play will need to catch up with the immense talent that he possesses. If it does, though, there’s still a very real chance that Cabrera can evolve into a bat-first 3B with enough talent to get to the bigs.

He’s the #20 prospect in this year’s CPR, earning the final spot on the list.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/communi...8/ricky-cabrera-cincinnati-reds-top-prospects

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

The Top 20 prospects in the Cincinnati Reds system

The 2026 edition of Red Reporter’s Community Prospect Rankings wrapped this week, doing so with nearly 3,000 total responses during the voting process. Thank you to each and every one of you who took the time to participate with us this year.

Here’s how the list shook out:

1. Sal Stewart
2. Alfredo Duno
3. Rhett Lowder
4. Hector Rodriguez
5. Edwin Arroyo
6. Cam Collier
7. Steele Hall
8. Tyson Lewis
9. Chase Petty
10. Arnaldo Lantigua
11. Jose Franco
12. Zach Maxwell
13. Leo Balcazar
14. Adolfo Sanchez
15. Carlos Jorge
16. Aaron Watson
17. Julian Aguiar
18. Tyler Callihan
19. Sheng-En Lin
20. Ricky Cabrera

Here’s how the Top 20 of the 2025 Community Prospect Rankings looked for comparison:

1. Rhett Lowder
2. Chase Burns
3. Edwin Arroyo
4. Chase Petty
5. Cam Collier
6. Sal Stewart
7. Alfredo Duno
8. Sammy Stafura
9. Ricky Cabrera
10. Hector Rodriguez
11. Tyson Lewis
12. Connor Phillips
13. Sheng-En Lin
14. Luke Holman
15. Zach Maxwell
16. Ty Floyd
17. Adam Serwinowski
18. Rece Hinds
19. Carlos Jorge
20. Julian Aguiar

Obviously, there were some graduates from last year’s rankings, with Chase Burns, Connor Phillips, and Rece Hinds having logged enough big league service time to no longer qualify as prospects anymore. Sammy Stafura was included in the deal with Pittsburgh that landed Ke’Bryan Hayes in Cincinnati, while Adam Serwinowski was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the three-team deal that landed Zack Littell with the Reds for last season’s stretch run.

Congrats to those Reds prospects on the distinguished honor of being included in this year’s CPR!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/community-prospect-ranking/49748/top-20-prospects-cincinnati-reds

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Which Cincinnati Reds prospect is poised for a breakout in 2026?

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 25: Cam Collier #6 of the Peoria Javelinas swings the bat during an Arizona Fall League game against the Glendale Desert Dogs at Camelback Ranch on October 25, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Last season saw Chase Burns go from ‘highly talented high draft pick who’d never thrown a pro pitch’ to perhaps the game’s top rated pitching prospect prior to making his big league debut with the Cincinnati Reds in late June. Meanwhile, Tyson Lewis hit balls so damn hard in Arizona in his first action as a pro that by the time he wrapped play in Daytona he’d found himself on Top 100 lists all over the place.

Alfredo Duno mashed his way to the top of the Reds list, emerging from a two-year odyssey to be a clear-cut catcher of the future with a bat featuring as much power as anyone, anywhere.

In a similar vein, Mike Sirota – who was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Gavin Lux deal – burst onto the scene in a huge, huge way, and now finds himself a consensus Top 100 prospect overall. Oops.

It happens each and every year, players who go from unknowns to household names (at least with prospect wonks), players who live up to the billing and more.

As we just wrapped the 2026 edition of our Community Prospect Rankings around here, who’s your pick among Reds prospects to be the biggest riser between now and season’s end? Could it be Cam Collier or Edwin Arroyo, two bats coming off power-sapping injuries that finally find a healthy swing once again?

Will Steele Hall, who only finds himself on the fringes of some Top 100 overall lists, hit the ground running and prove early the faith the Reds scouts placed in him?

Could we see an arm like Aaron Watson show his polished approach is ready to move fast?

Or, might we see someone making the jump stateside from Dominican Summer League play show the world they’re ready to tackle full-season ball at a level previously thought to be above their head?

What say you? Which Cincinnati Reds prospect is poised for a breakout 2026?

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/lists-rankings/49744/cincinnati-reds-prospects-breakout

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Who anchors the new-look Cincinnati Reds bullpen?

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 21: Atlanta Braves pitcher Pierce Johnson (38) pitches in the sixth inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers versus the Atlanta Braves on Sunday September 21, 2025 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Scott Barlow and Brent Suter combined to throw some 136.0 IP for the Cincinnati Reds last season, and both have since moved on and signed elsewhere in free agency this offseason. Nick Martinez, now a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, chipped in with 20.2 IP of work as a reliever in a swingman role, with Chase Burns checking in for a handful of appearances down the stretch in a similar vein.

Gone from the bullpen mix in 2026 are all of them, the first trio on new teams via free agency and Burns, the prize of the Cincinnati farm as recently as last season, having the inside track to the fifth spot in the Reds starting rotation to begin the season. Gone, too, are Ian Gibaut and Taylor Rogers since the trade deadline August, and it’s clear that the void left by that cadre of relievers was a priority to address this offseason by the Reds front office.

In came Brock Burke in a three-team deal that saw Gavin Lux dealt to the Rays.

Signed was Pierce Johnson as a free agent after an enviable three-season run with Atlanta.

Inked was lefty Caleb Ferguson, fresh off a 2025 season solid enough that the Seattle Mariners acquired him at the trade deadline to bolster their playoff push.

It’s been an offseason flush with good moves on paper for the bullpen, but how the roles shake out to begin the season remain to be seen. Tony Santillan is back and poised to claim a top setup role, while Emilio Pagán re-signed and has the inside track to being the team’s closer after hammering down 32 saves in 2025. Graham Ashcraft’s arsenal seems destined to get another prominent shot despite it still not working as well as it looks like it should. Still, there seem to be few guarantees beyond that, with the likes of Connor Phillips, Luis Mey, Zach Maxwell, Lyon Richardson, and Sam Moll all looking for their own angle.

How do you think this Reds bullpen shakes out in 2026? Who leads them in appearances, in innings, and even in saves?

Do you think it will be a strength of the club, or perhaps its weakness after so much overhaul?

Let us know in the comments!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/latest-news/49734/cincinnati-reds-bullpen-preview-brock-burke

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Chase Burns to start Cactus Legaue opener for Cincinnati Reds on Saturday

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 01: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during Game Two of the National League Wild Card Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The battle for the final spot in the starting rotation of the Cincinnati Reds is already underway. With pitchers and catchers having congregated in Goodyear, Arizona over a week ago to begin their annual spring revival, the likes of Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson, and Julian Aguiar all showed up healthy – finally – and ready to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

As Mark Sheldon of Reds.com relayed from camp, the competition is already chugging along in earnest, with the likes of Dane Myers and Terry Francona already impressed with what they’ve seen from the group in camp.

Of note in Sheldon’s latest notes is that it will be Burns on the bump for the Reds when they open Cactus League play on Saturday afternoon against their complex rivals from Cleveland.

That’s not an indication that Burns is necessarily ahead of the other trio on the pecking order, per se, even though that would appear to be the case on paper for the time being. Burns, of course, finished last year healthy (despite a mid-season forearm shutdown), and his arsenal when clicking is perhaps as good as any pitcher on the planet right now. Still, there’s a ton to be said from Lowder, Williamson, and even Aguiar before all is said and done, as each of that trio has impressed at lower stops and made their mark at the big league level when healthy too.

Saturday’s Cactus League opener is slated for a 3:05 PM ET start time and will stream for free via MLB.tv.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/latest-news/49755/chase-burns-cincinnati-reds-cactus-league-opener

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cincinnati Reds Opening Day roster projection, Volume 1

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MARCH 27: A general view on Opening Day at Great American Ball Park prior to a game between the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds on March 27, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds will open their 2026 season on March 26th in Great American Ball Park with the Boston Red Sox in town. Cincinnati’s Cactus League slate at their home in Goodyear, Arizona will begin this Saturday, February 21st, with the Cleveland Guardians both their home complex compatriots and opponents for the day.

With competitive baseball firmly on the horizon, here’s Red Reporter’s first stab at how the 26-man roster will look when regular season ball commences just five weeks from now.

Starting Rotation​

RHP Hunter Greene

LHP Andrew Abbott

LHP Nick Lodolo

RHP Brady Singer

RHP Chase Burns

Notes: The storyline here is the battle for the fifth and final spot in the rotation, as each of Burns, Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson, and Julian Aguiar are among the candidates – each of whom already has big league experience under their belts. Burns, though, seems poised to launch into the stratosphere of elite pitchers in the game today, and I don’t think the Reds are in a position to throttle that to begin the season (even if they need to limit his innings at some point later in the year).

Given that each of Lowder, Williamson, and Aguiar is coming off lost 2025 seasons due to major injuries, I think each will get slow-played to start 2026 in order to be built up and ready for the inevitable mid-season needs of the big league club.

Bullpen​

RHP Emilio Pagán

RHP Tony Santillan

RHP Graham Ashcraft

LHP Brock Burke

LHP Caleb Ferguson

RHP Pierce Johnson

RHP Connor Phillips

LHP Sam Moll

Notes: The final spot here is the lone one about which I’ve got questions, but usually when that’s the case it’s the larger, administrative factors that win out. In this case, Moll is out of options, and I think that will give him the leg up on the final spot over the likes of Zach Maxwell and Luis Mey. It gives the Reds a third lefty, which might not be ideal, but would buy time for Terry Francona to figure out just how much he really needs a third southpaw (and for Moll to show he’s healthy again), with Big Sugar and Mey around for immediate depth if anything goes askew.

Position Players​

C Tyler Stephenson

C Jose Trevino

1B Nathaniel Lowe

DH/IF Eugenio Suárez

IF Sal Stewart

IF Matt McLain

IF Elly De La Cruz

3B Ke’Bryan Hayes

IF/OF Spencer Steer

OF TJ Friedl

OF Noelvi Marte

OF Will Benson

OF Dane Myers

Notes: The recent signing of Lowe to a non-roster contract put this projection into flux, but I do truly think there’s plenty left in his tank and that will show in spring camp. That means he’ll be in the mix at 1B more often than anyone originally thought, and while initially that would look like a major impact to the playing time of Stewart, I think it will actually impact JJ Bleday more than anyone due to Lowe hitting from the left-hand side. Bleday has options remaining – as does Benson, as they’ll be competing directly with one another – but I think Benson gets the inside edge for the time being.

What carrying Lowe, a solid defender at 1B, does though is push Spencer Steer into more time in LF. Stewart, Lowe, and Suárez will rotate through 1B/DH on most days, though I do still expect Suárez to get at least one start a week at 3B until the point at which he proves unplayable there. Steer will also likely get time at 2B on days when McLain either a) takes over SS to give Elly a break or b) when McLain needs a break himself, with Stewart hopefully getting in that mix a time or two here and there, too.

While I’m still highly skeptical of the concept of Myers at all, I think he gets the nod as the right-handed outfielder who can play CF for the time being.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/peer-into-the-future/49751/cincinnati-reds-opening-day-roster-projection

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cactus League Game 1 – Reds vs. Guardians

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 28: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park on July 28, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds return to baseball action today at 3:05 PM ET, kicking off their 2026 Cactus League campaign in the cozy home confines of Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. They’ll do so as the away team, however, as it will be the Cleveland Guardians claiming the home game from the dugout on the other side of their own home complex, too.

Chase Burns will get the start for the Reds in his first in-game quest to earn the fifth and final spot in Cincinnati’s starting rotation come Opening Day, though I’d be shocked if he pitched more than two innings – if that.

The game will be carried by Reds.tv in market, or you can watch it out of market per usual via MLB.tv. Or, if you prefer, the Cleveland broadcast will be carried on Guardians.tv if you reside in the Cleveland media market.

Baseball is officially unofficially back, folks!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-threads/49759/cincinnati-reds-cactus-league-opener-chase-burns

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Reds drop Cactus League opener to Guardians, 4-2

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) addresses media at the Conclusion of a Cactus League game against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz. Guardians won 2-4. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chase Burns got the start in Saturday afternoon’s contest between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians in the two teams’ combined complex in Goodyear, Arizona, and in doing so officially began their Cactus League campaign.

Burns kept the Guardians off the board in a pair of scoreless frames, doing so without so much as allowing a hit. He did walk a trio against a pair of strikeouts before handing the ball over to Rhett Lowder, a fellow Wake Forest product who’s also very much in the mix for a spot in the team’s Opening Day rotation. Lowder fanned 4 in his pair of IP, though he did get dinged for a pair of hits, a walk, and a run allowed. Julian Aguiar, himself an outside candidate for the team’s starting rotation, similarly allowed a run in a pair of IP.

On the offensive side of things, it was once again Will Benson haunting his former club. Cleveland’s former 1st round pick slugged a 2-run homer off righty Colin Holderman after lefty Logan Allen – Cleveland’s starter on the day – departed after a pair of scoreless frames. in a battle for a spot on the Opening Day roster himself alongside the likes of JJ Bleday and Nathaniel Lowe as one of the team’s lefty bats with some pop, it was once again a reminder that Benson still owns a wealth of yet-to-be-tapped potential that he showed, at times, in 2025 during a horribly unlucky campaign on the surface.

Edwin Arroyo chipped in with a double and a run scored for the lone other extra-base hit on the day for Cincinnati, while Hagen Danner – a former 2nd round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays – was tagged for a pair of ER in a lone IP out of the bullpen to wrap up the pertinent portions of Cincinnati’s box score.

Jose Franco will take the ball to start tomorrow’s game against the Seattle Mariners as the Reds play host at Goodyear for the first time (they were the road team against Cleveland on Saturday). First pitch in that one is set for 3:05 PM ET, though it will only be able to be perceived with your ears via 700 WLW and the MLB At-Bat app.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/game-re...ase-burns-will-benson-cleveland-cactus-league

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Reds bullpen blasted by Mariners in 14-8 Cactus League loss

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) gives signed baseballs to fans during spring training, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at the Cincinnati Reds Player Development Complex in Goodyear, Ariz. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds fell to 0-2 in Cactus League play after a 14-8 loss to the Seattle Mariners at home in Goodyear on Sunday afternoon. Let’s take a closer look at what went down.

The Good​

Veteran righty Randy Dobnak has thrown exactly 15.0 big league innings since the end of the 2021 season. He was brought in on a minor league deal with the M’s, and he got the start on Sunday for them.

The top of the Cincinnati lineup wrecked him.

Dobnak was smashed for 7 hits and 5 ER in 1.1 IP. The top of the Reds order flourished as TJ Friedl (1 for 2, R, 2 RBI), Matt McLain (2 for 3, R, 2 RBI), and Elly De La Cruz (2 for 3, 2 RBI) all looked in peak form.

Down in the bullpen, Graham Ashcraft fired a scoreless, hitless IP with a pair of Ks, while TJ Antone continued his way back from a third Tommy John surgery with a perfect frame of his own (with a K).

The Bad​

Eugenio Suarez started for the second straight day with his new-old club, and he went 0 for 3 with a pair of Ks. He’s now 0 for 6 with a trio of Ks across his first two Cactus League games with the Reds.

It’s ok, though. We know Geno is streaky as can be, and frankly I’d prefer he get his bad streak out right now when the scoreboard doesn’t matter.

The Ugly​

While Ashcraft and Antone were effective, the bulk of the rest of the relief corps fighting for Opening Day roster spots got smashed on the day.

Luis Mey (0.2 IP, 4 H, 5 ER), Zach Maxwell (0.2 IP, ER, 4 BB, K), and Connor Phillips (0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K) couldn’t finish their innings, while Lyon Rirchardson (1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, O K) didn’t fare much better.

While the Reds invested heavily in more established bullpen arms so that these young bucks wouldn’t need to be locked in from day one, it’s still a bit alarming that all of them looked so lost at the same time this early in spring camp.

What’s Next​

The Reds will have the day off on Monday before facing off against the Kansas City Royals at home on Tuesday. First pitch is once again slated for 3:05 PM ET, though it will also not be televised. You’ll be able to listen to it via 1360 WSAI, however.

Andrew Abbott will get the start for his Cactus League debut, while KC is currently scheduled to roll out veteran righty Michael Wacha for the start.

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/spring-training/49779/reds-mariners-cactus-league-recap

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Who hits the most dingers for the 2026 Cincinnati Reds?

Sep 17, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44, left), Cincinnati Reds first baseman Spencer Steer (7, center), and Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart (43) walk back to the dugout after Steer hit a three-rin home run in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

Back in the go-go dinger days of 2019, Eugenio Suárez socked nearly as many home runs (49) as he blew gum bubbles, a number he matched in a 2025 season split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners.

So, if you ponder the question of who leads the 2026 Reds in dingers, it’s easy to simply point at Geno.

Is it really that simple, though?

Geno’s now 34 years old, and he’ll hit 35 in July of this year. On top of that, sandwiched in between his seasons with 49 bombs are single-season totals of 31, 31, 22, and 30, so it’s not as if he’s reached those lofty numbers each and every season.

Yes, he’s now calling Great American Ball Park home after spending far too much time in Seattle, where right-handed power hitting goes to die. Yes, he’s on a one-year ‘prove it’ contract for 2026 after nobody presumably offered him a long-term deal of enough value for him and his agent, and that may prompt him to go nuts again offensively in a contract year.

But is it really too outlandish to suggest that maybe, just maybe, someone else on this team finishes 2026 with more homers than Suárez? Someone like, say, Elly De La Cruz?

If Geno ‘slips’ back to only hitting ~30 homers in 2026, is it out of the question that a healthily-shouldered Spencer Steer could flirt with 30 after topping 20 in each of the last trio of seasons?

JJ Bleday once swatted 20 homers for the Oakland A’s! Noelvi Marte’s power has long been hyped as potentially plus…could 2026 be the year he finally puts it all together?

Lest we forget Sal Stewart, who led the 2025 Reds in homers after his call-up in September. He’s one of the most advanced hitters the Reds have seen as a rookie in a generation, and scouts have long said his raw power was ahead of his in-game power…at least until it showed up in-game at the end of last season. Might he step right in to the Cincinnati lineup on Opening Day and become the thumper this lineup has missed for years?

Who do you think leads this club in dingers in ‘26?

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/cincinn...n-leaders-predictions-suarez-sal-stewart-elly

 

[Cincinnati Reds]

Cactus League Game 2 – Reds vs. Mariners

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds poses for a portrait during photo day at the Cincinnati Reds Player Development Complex on February 17, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds dropped their Cactus League opener on Saturday as the Cleveland Guardians downed them to the tune of 4 to 2. The good news, though, is twofold.

For one, the final score of these games means absolutely nothing right now.

Second, today the Reds are actually rolling out a lineup full of their biggest stars.

Cincinnati will roll out the likes of TJ Friedl, Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, Eugenio Suarez, and Spencer Steer atop their lineup in Sunday afternoon’s contest against the Seattle Mariners in Goodyear, with talented young righty Jose Franco taking the mound to begin the day. To a significantly lesser extent of excitement, each of Jose Trevino, Ke’Bryan Hayes, JJ Bleday, and Rece Hinds will round out a lineup full of players owning significant big league experience as the Reds begin to work through all of their options currently in camp.

First pitch is slated for 3:05 PM ET, though sadly this one will not be televised by either the Reds or Mariners. To follow along, you’ll need to head over to 700 WLW for audio, or tap into that feed to listen along via MLB.com.

Hat tip to Doug Gray of Redleg Nation for relaying today’s travel roster, which suggests we’ll see some combination of Graham Ashcraft, Connor Phillips, and a lot of the rest of the projected bullpen available to chuck some heaters today, too.

Here is today's Cincinnati #Reds roster against the Seattle Mariners

— Doug Gray (@dougdirt24.bsky.social) 2026-02-22T16:53:48.870Z

Go Reds!

Source: https://www.redreporter.com/spring-training/49771/elly-de-la-cruz-spring-training-debut