RSS Reds Team Notes

[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