Top 10 Cincinnati Reds Spring Training Storylines To Watch
Cincinnati enters spring training with a better roster than the one that earned a postseason berth in 2025. Here's what to keep your eye on.
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The Cincinnati Reds are coming off their first full-season playoff berth since 2013. A young team that made strides, carried by top-notch starting pitching and a bit of luck, was able to get a taste of postseason baseball last season.
However, despite their playoff appearance, the Reds were a flawed team. The offense was bland, and the bullpen needed a lift. Entering the offseason, the needs were clear, and the front office did a better job of filling those needs than they have in years past.
Adding several veteran bullpen arms was a good start, but the impact signing came late in the offseason when fan favorite Eugenio Suárez signed to return to Cincinnati. It was the type of move that was needed, but unexpected by a large number of fans.
Cincinnati now heads into the 2026 season with, in my opinion, a better roster. That’s not to say the Reds don’t have questions that still need to be answered. Today, I am going to discuss what I view as the top storylines to follow throughout spring training.
Do We Get a Better Version of Elly De La Cruz?
There’s no doubt that Elly De La Cruz has the talent to be a true superstar, but we still need to see him approach his ceiling. This season feels like a big one for the 24-year-old shortstop. Injury played a role in his struggles last year, but his .666 OPS in the second half, combined with his frustrating errors at short and trouble against lefties, left a bad taste in fans’ mouths.
Let’s start with defense. Errors are always going to be part of Elly’s profile, and we need to accept that. His range allows him to get to balls others don’t, which leads to rushed and off-balanced throws. I think we can accept that. What needs to improve is the number of errors caused by a lack of focus. We all have much less patience there.
Offensively, the power dipped in a major way down the stretch. His playing through injury, and if that was the best decision, is a different discussion for a different day, but I expect more in what will be his fourth season.
It might not feel like it, but De La Cruz improved this past year. He cut his strikeout rate down to an acceptable 26% while still making quality contact. A major part of his value is on the basepaths, and the Reds did not run him nearly enough in 2025. I hope they give him the green light more. The expectations should still be high for Cincinnati’s star.
Who Claims the Fifth Rotation Spot?
Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Brady Singer, and Andrew Abbott all return from a stellar rotation last season. I don’t think we have too many questions or concerns with that group, but how the Reds round it out will be fascinating.
Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder come with the prospect pedigree and highest upside. To me, Burns should be the favorite, as his upside could change the trajectory of the Reds’ season. Both are set to be on an innings restriction, and Lowder has dealt with injuries, pitching only 9.1 innings last season. I think they will be cautious with him to begin the year.
Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar are working back from injury, while Chase Petty is also in the mix. Of this group, I like Williamson the most. Adding another lefty to the rotation would be welcomed, and Williamson has shown flashes in the past.
I’d rank them starting with Burns, followed by Williamson then Lowder. There’s simply too much unknown about Lowder right now, and he will need a big spring to show he’s healthy and effective for Opening Day.
Can Matt McLain Rebound?
Matt McLain was one of the worst batters in major league baseball in 2025. By now, his issues have been discussed to exhaustion, so I think we can bypass the recap. What really matters is how he plays from now going forward.
Best case scenario? He plays to a 115-120 wRC+, hits 20 home runs, and provides excellent defense at second. I truly think he has the talent to reach that level. But, the approach and swing and miss will need major improvement.
He’s another year removed from shoulder surgery, and it is not uncommon to see a player take over a year to bounce back from a shoulder injury. Now, shoulder injuries do not make you identify a ball or strike worse, but they do factor into your confidence at the plate. If he looks healthy and is timing up pitches this spring, there are reasons to be excited.
Can JJ Bleday and Will Benson Both Be on the Roster?
The need for a lefty bat is a big one in Cincinnati. Left field is the only true camp competition, and some might argue it’s not much of a competition to begin with. I do think one of Will Benson or JJ Bleday will win the spot to platoon with Spencer Steer. But, can they both be on the roster?
The addition of Dane Myers gives the Reds a needed backup center fielder and righty bat who has shown well against lefties. With Steer likely to play more outfield, will the Reds really go outfield-heavy in order to keep…..JJ Bleday and Will Benson? Not exactly high-level players.
Each has had opportunities to prove himself over the past few years and still comes with question marks. The Reds are a playoff-hopeful team and cannot afford to continue to roll out “let’s see what happens” players with significant flaws. To me, it’s one or the other.
Will the Reds’ Bench Lack a Utility Infielder?
So, now that I have established that only one of Benson or Bleday should make the team, let’s talk about how the Reds fill the infield spot.
The current 40-man roster has Edwin Arroyo, Leo Balcazar, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand as players on the outside looking in. I think Arroyo and Balcazar are a year away, at least, and CES is not versatile enough.
You could shuffle the team around with McLain backing up shortstop, Steer and Sal Stewart backing up second, and Eugenio Suárez backing up third and first. It could work, but it’s not a recipe that lasts 162 games. Players get injured, and even a five-day absence could break this plan.
To me, it comes down to Benson and Bleday not being good enough players to warrant having a funky bench and playing down an infielder. Sure, the infielder is unlikely to be much better, but at least he could fill a more defined role.
Will the Righty-Heavy Lineup Be an Issue?
As it stands right now, TJ Friedl, Benson, and Bleday are the only true lefties projected to make the roster, according to RosterResource. If either Benson or Bleday does not make it, the Reds would be extremely righty heavy, with their only switch-hitter being Elly De La Cruz.
Although unorthodox, especially in a day and age in which matchups and platoons are heavily used, I’m not sure if this will truly be an issue. It would be great to see one of Bleday or Benson grab ahold of the left field job and give the Reds another lefty in the lineup, but it’s possible that job is earned by Steer.
Having Benson or Bleday around would make late-inning pitching matchups more difficult for Cincinnati’s opponents. Sandwich a lefty between two righties, and you have a chance to get a favorable matchup. There’s a reason we do not see many lineups this righty-heavy.
How Close Is Héctor Rodríguez To Making the Roster?
One name I have not mentioned, who is a lefty outfielder and could take over left field at some point, is prospect Héctor Rodríguez.
Acquired from the Mets in the Tyler Naquin trade years ago, Rodríguez has worked his way up prospect lists; he slashed .298/.357/.481 with 12 home runs and a 140 wRC+ across 82 games in Double-A last year.
He struggled in his first taste of Triple-A as a 21-year-old, but his profile is something I think Terry Francona will like: a bat-to-ball, low-strikeout player with power that is developing. He chases a lot, but made major strides in that area last season. I could see a path where he’s a mid-season call-up, and it all starts with how he looks in spring training.
Which Non-Roster Invitees Impress?
As teams improve, the likelihood of a non-roster invitee breaking camp becomes lower and lower. However, the Reds do have a few names that could claim a spot or at least impress.
Cam Collier – Collier was only 20 years old last season and posted an impressive .263/.377/.347 slash, good for a 114 wRC+ in his first Double-A stint. The power was a massive disappointment, but he’s still years away and has a lot of development ahead. All I want to see in spring is good at-bats and a few stung baseballs.
Michael Toglia – Toglia plays first and corner outfield and comes with some power. He also comes with a ton of swing and miss. I think he’s a great minor league depth piece and helps as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency policy if they do move on from one of Bleday or Benson.
Joel Valdez – A lefty relief pitcher who logged 45.2 innings in Double-A last year and finished with a 1.38 ERA, 2.71 FIP, and 10.84 K/9. The additions of Brock Burke and Caleb Ferguson make his path to the roster tricky, but he could be the first lefty recalled in the case of injury.
What Do the Reds Do with Sam Moll?
Lefties out of the bullpen were a priority for the Reds this offseason. They worked quickly to bring in the Ohio native Ferguson and then traded for Burke. That’s two southpaws with experience, and their track records show why they will be the preferred options.
So, what happens with Sam Moll? Moll has been better against lefties since joining the Reds and is not a pitcher you use for multiple innings. He missed most of 2025 with injury, pitching in only 18.1 innings and posting a 6.38 ERA and 5.21 FIP.
He is out of minor league options and will need to make the team or go through waivers. While I don’t mind carrying three lefties, I would not hold onto Moll if a better option arises. He needs to prove he’s healthy and that he can look more like the pitcher we saw before his injury.
The Third Catcher Competition Is Boring, but Important
The Reds recently DFA’d catcher Ben Rortvedt, who was then claimed by the Dodgers, his former team (and subsequently DFA’d again days later). That leaves the 40-man roster with only two catchers, Tyler Stephenson and Jose Trevino, but we know the third catcher is in the system.
The non-roster invitees include Will Banfield, P.J. Higgins, Michael Trautwein, and Connor Burns. Banfield has an inside track, as the Reds used him in seven games last year; he is a plus defender, but a terrible bat. Higgins is a veteran who has spent time with the Cubs and brings a better bat but less ideal defense.
The name to watch here is Burns. Although I do not think he’s going to be the first call-up, he is a fantastic defender and is Rule 5 eligible this winter, so getting him on the 40-man early doesn’t hurt. He’s struggled at the plate, so any sign of improvement helps his chances in a big way.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand Has A lot to Prove
The Christian Encarnacion-Strand we saw briefly in 2023 has not returned since. His 2024 season was disappointing and injury-filled, while 2025 was the same story. Sure, I’d love to see what a healthy CES has to offer, but like I said before, the Reds are in no position to give runway to a bunch of “what ifs.”
Injured or not, swinging at anything that leaves the pitcher’s hand has been the issue. The contact is loud, but opposing pitchers’ stuff is too good in the majors for anyone to get away with swinging at so many pitches out of the strike zone.
The graphic below, from Baseball Savant, shows Encarnacion-Strand’s swing percentage by location in 2025. He’ll have to show drastic improvement when it comes to laying off pitches before he gets a chance.
The addition of Eugenio Suárez makes CES’s path to the roster difficult. I don’t think he should be used too often at third, and Suárez plus Stewart makes DH and first base crowded. I wouldn’t rule out anything from a trade to simply CES spending all year in Triple-A as depth.
Final Thoughts
The Reds checked every box they needed to this winter. They did not add a bunch of All-Stars or improve the roster by 15 wins, but overall, they had a really nice offseason. Heading into spring training, they have quality depth in the rotation and bullpen, and an added slugger to help the offense.
The number of questions I have about the lineup is lower than last season. That alone is a step in the right direction. I wish they would have gone with a more sure thing in the outfield, but improving the offense via the Suárez signing makes that weakness easier to stomach.
The ceiling of this team will be determined by two things. Can the rotation be as good as last year’s, and can the younger bats take a significant step forward? If both happen, I think we are in for an exciting summer in the Queen City.
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