Top 10 Cincinnati Reds Spring Training Storylines to Follow

Well, you made it. iPhone footage of a player soft tossing seen through a fence has caught your attention like breaking news. The sun shinning down on a perfectly groomed field while the pop of a mitt sounds better than Sinatra. Baseball is back.

No matter how many times the Reds have hurt you, spring training offers a fresh start.

A new level of optimism. A chance to wash previous seasons down the drain and turn the page to something new. After the disappointing season the Reds had, a fresh start with new manager Terry Francona has brought life back to the fanbase.

The Reds not only have a new manager, they have several new faces. Four substantial trades landed Gavin Lux, Brandy Singer, Jose Trevino, and Taylor Rogers. We haven’t seen the front office make this many trades to improve the team and round out a roster since Nick Krall took over.

More established veterans like Austin Hays and Scott Barlow were also added as a refreshing upgrade over the AAAA vets of previous seasons.

With so much young talent and what felt like a lost season behind them, the Reds have become one of the most intriguing teams in the National League. Spring training leads to fun roster conversations and today I want to walk through 10 things on my mind.

Where Does Gavin Lux Play

When the Reds initially traded for Gavin Lux there was confusion from the fanbase. Another infielder for a team that already has, well, too many infielders?

Lux has moved around the field during his Dodger days seeing time in the outfield, primarily second, and some short. He did make one appearance at third, a position that might need some help in Cincinnati.

Manager Terry Francona mentioned how players will move around early in spring and start to settle into their position as Opening Day nears. Keep an eye not only on how many positions Lux is playing, but how many he is still plying late in spring. Whether it be as a super utility or stationed in one spot, Lux brings winning experience and a baseline of play that the Reds lacked last season.

A Healthy Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Matt McLain

This list could be much longer than two names, but I wanted to focus on Encarnacion-Strand (CES) and Matt McLain. Two of the Reds top prospects who both flashed in their first big league stint and were not able to build upon that success in 2024.

CES offers a power potential no one outside of Elly De La Cruz has on the Reds. He’s also trimmed down and worked at third which only helps the way this roster can be structured. Any possibility from being in the minors to hitting 30 home runs is on the table for CES.

I truly think McLain has the talent to be the Robin to De La Cruz’s Batman. Tools that help the Reds in different facets of the game from stealing bases to plus defense while also improving the top third of the order. Where, exactly, he plays is still a bit of a mystery. I’d prefer to keep him at second and move Lux around, but there’s rumors of McLain playing some outfield, as well.

Regardless of where these two players play, their bats have the potential to completely change how pitchers attack this lineup. Let’s not forget the Reds could be looking at a combined 50 home runs if both stay healthy.

How Close is Chase Burns to Being a Major Leaguer

Maybe I am being dramatic, but it feels like Chase Burns (Just Baseball’s No.1 Reds Prospect) is not getting the attention, or discussion, he deserves. Not seeing him pitch after being drafted last season put him on the back burner for some fans. WAKE UP!

If you have not seen Burns pitch before he’ll certainly catch your eye this spring.

Burns offers a four-pitch mix with a 60 grade fastball and 70 grade slider. Eye catching stuff who might be closer to the big leagues than we realize. He’ll have to work out some command issues and learn to fine tune pitch sequencing so he doesn’t have to rely as heavily on his fastball.

A couple months in the minors or the entire season?

Cincinnati’s rotation is set without Burns, but how far down the pecking order is he and how quickly will they let Burns climb?

If it comes down to it, will we see Wade Miley before Burns?

I think a few former rotation options could be moving to the bullpen allow a clearer runway for Burns. He’ll be fun to follow not only in spring, but throughout the minors.

Who Separates Themselves in the OF

Outfield, especially a righty bat, was the teams biggest need entering the offseason. The Reds didn’t have terrible options, but lacked an All-Star level player and have essentially collected a group of guys with too similar of ceilings.

Adding Austin Hays was a move I personally like more than the consensus and think he will lead the outfield group in fWAR. Great American Ballpark fits his game much better than Baltimore and now that he is back to full health, watch out.

How confident do you feel in the rest of the options?

I like Spencer Steer and think he’ll be better, but he has his limitations. Friedl can’t stay healthy and has his own red flags while Jake Fraley is in need of a bounce back. The next group – Blake Dunn, Will Benson, Stuart Fairchild, and Rece Hinds – will all have chances to earn a role this spring. This group, plus Fraley, really needs someone to step up.

Each player comes with some intrigue and plenty of reasons to doubt. If even one player from this group can surprise us that would be huge the team. Finding value from a true outfielder, effectively keeping McLain and Lux in the infield, would make this team more complete.

Is Graham Ashcraft in the Bullpen

When the Reds traded for Brady Singer and brought back Nick Martinez the path for Graham Ashcraft to be in the rotation became more difficult. I’m not hear to make excuses, Ashcraft simply wasn’t good enough to not upgrade this winter. Even with depth starters Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar injured, a move to the bullpen could be best for Ashcraft.

The hope would be Ashcraft in shorter outings could have his stuff play up leading to more swing and miss. Throughout Ashcraft’s career he has been a heavy groundball pitcher but a K/9 under seven makes it hard to make it especially when you do not have elite control.

I can’t promise Ashcraft the reliever to been significantly better, but I do think we know what he is as a starter and it’s time to find out what he is as a reliever.

Did Noelvi Marte Put Last Season Behind Him

Whatever level of confidence you have in Marte, from zero to 100%, can be seen as reasonable.

I’m willing to wash last year away but I need to see these improvements, at a minimum, in spring training. First, the effort and focus needs to be there. Last season, especially in the field, a complete lack of focus lead to too many mental mistakes. Second, he has to impact the ball more. In 2023 his average exit velocity was 91.3 mph which dropped to 87 mph in 2024.

No need to completely give up on a 23-year-old with only 101 games under his belt, but some serious changes need to be addressed.

Battle for the Bullpen

Cincinnati has made it a point to address the bullpen this offseason. Veteran lefty Taylor Rogers was added along with righty Scott Barlow, both of which come with solid track records. Even with these additions, there’s at least one spot still open with plenty of competition.

The Reds brought in Alex Young, Albert Abreu, Joe La Sorsa, Bryan Shaw, Josh Staumont, and others in order to have less reliance on younger arms. While a Yosver Zulueta or Lyon Richardson are already on the 40-man roster, the competition to keep those spots is as deep as I can remember the last few years.

You could lean into Ashcraft, or add a guy like Carson Spiers who can go multiple innings. Veterans or rookies, groundball specialist or 100 mph heaters, the Reds have options. I think it’s time to move a couple of former starters to bullpen roles which makes the battles even that much more intriguing.

Does Connor Phillips Have a Path to the Roster

I’ll just put this as straight forward as I can, Connor Phillips had a trainwreck season.

I think it is time to shift Phillips to the bullpen. The control has actually been worse as he advances and is not to a point where he can be a legitimate starter. Moving him to the bullpen might not help, but he can focus on two pitches and see if that helps him find the zone more often. Elite swing an miss stuff is something this bullpen could use and there’s a spot for the taking.

Non-Roster Names to Watch

Looking over the non-roster names and not seeing a washed up veteran who is more likely than not to make the Opening Day roster is refreshing. More names will be added, but for now, the prospects are really catching my eye. Cam Collier and Sal Stewart are both unlikely to debut this year although they could both shine in spring off talent alone.

Switch-hitting shortstop Edwin Arroyo is finally back and healthy. Now that he’s past his teenage years (age 21.5) and has had more time to develop, he’ll command a lot of attention.

Is the bat closer to average or has it taken a step and tapped into a bit more power?

Arroyo is a prospect who can really make drastic strides this season. Also, keep an eye on Ivan Johnson, a switch-hitting utility guy who does enough of everything to potentially get called up this season.

Chase Burns will catch a lot of eyes, but so should Chase Petty. A top five prospect in the Reds system, my inclusion should not be a surprise but I need to make sure to mention Petty. Last season there were a few stretches I thought he really put it all together and was close to “graduating” to a more complete pitcher. I think big things are in store for Petty in 2025.

Does Rule 5 Pick Cooper Bowman Stick

I understand Bowman’s impact will likely not be significant. With all Rule 5 picks, keeping a close eye throughout spring will tell us not only about the plans for said player, but what the team might think about other players and their roles.

If Bowman is playing both infield and outfield, that could mean Fairchild would be the only true outfielder on the bench. Santiago Espinal, Bowman, Lux, McLain (maybe), and Steer all offer infield/outfield flexibility. Bowman might have to push a bigger name or more established player to Triple-A, such as Marte, CES, or Benson.

Personally, I am not high on Bowman. He can obviously have a big spring and change my mind, but I do not think he has enough to stick. Ivan Johnson offers a similar enough role without having to take a 40-man spot or be kept in the majors.

Final Thoughts

Whenever I write about the Reds I am reminded how much last season fell apart so early on. So much went wrong that even the most pessimistic fans have to agree regression to the mean will happen in 2025. The Reds additions do not make for a World Series team, but an obvious improvement from 2024.

The players Cincinnati brought in immediately raises their floor. Too often the Reds ran out a lineup with players who were sinking and these additions help to avoid just that. Bottom line, the Reds will go as far as their young core takes them. Seeing Elly or McLain take another step is how this team reaches a different level.

Take a deep breath. David Bell is out, Terry Francona is in. The vibes around this team reached a new Bell Era low last season and Francona is exactly the breath of fresh air this team, and fanbase, needed. Sit back and enjoy.