Matt McLain appeared like a budding star following a 2023 marketing campaign the place he debuted for the Reds and slashed an unbelievable .290/.357/.507 in 89 video games en path to a fifth place end in NL Rookie of the 12 months voting that yr. Spectacular as McLain was, nevertheless, his rising star got here crashing down when he suffered a shoulder harm that required surgical procedure final March. He missed the complete 2024 marketing campaign rehabbing however appeared poised to re-enter the membership’s center infield combine because the beginning second baseman subsequent to star shortstop Elly De La Cruz for 2025.
That was earlier than the Reds landed Gavin Lux in a commerce with the Dodgers, nevertheless. Lux has performed second base for the overwhelming majority of his huge league profession outdoors of the uncommon cameo within the outfield and some ill-fated makes an attempt to attempt him at shortstop. As famous by Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, membership president Nick Krall has indicated that he expects Lux to play second base, left area, and DH for the Reds this yr whereas additionally getting seems throughout Spring Coaching at third base and even shortstop as they appear to type out their mixture of place gamers.
It’s an advanced puzzle the Reds might want to type out this spring. De La Cruz is unquestionably entrenched at shortstop, whereas Wittenmyer notes that Krall left the door open for veteran Jeimer Candelario to get the primary crack at third base this yr even after he struggled defensively on the place throughout an injury-marred 2024 marketing campaign. If Candelario is at third base, that will open up first base for both Spencer Steer or Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Ought to Lux find yourself at second base, that would depart McLain with out a spot on the infield, however it’s price noting that the teen took reps in middle area in the course of the Arizona Fall League this yr and that C. Trent Rosencrans of The Athletic not too long ago prompt that McLain might get a glance within the outfield himself throughout Spring Coaching.
That advanced infield image appears prone to have a domino impact on the membership’s outfield this yr. Jake Fraley, Austin Hays, and TJ Friedl seem like the three full-time outfielders locked into the Reds’ roster, however Fraley has lengthy been a platoon participant for Cincinnati whereas each Hays and Friedl are coming off tough and injury-marred 2024 campaigns. That might open the door for the membership’s extra infielders to take reps on the grass, with McLain standing out as an possibility in middle area alongside Friedl whereas Steer and Lux might each be candidates to patrol the outfield corners.
Turning to the pitching workers, the membership has an extra of potential beginning pitching choices that rivals its extra of potential infield choices. Even earlier than veteran Wade Miley returns from Tommy John surgical procedure in Could, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com notes that Hunter Greene, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Nick Martinez, Rhett Lowder, Graham Ashcraft, Carson Spiers, and maybe even non-roster invitee Chase Petty might be candidates for a rotation job with the membership. The almost definitely beginning 5 in that group, nevertheless, figures to be Greene, Singer, Lodolo, Abbott, and Martinez.
Notably, that leaves Ashcraft on the skin trying in. The fitting-hander has spent his total huge league profession within the rotation thus far, making 60 begins throughout the previous three seasons. The outcomes have left one thing to be desired, nevertheless, as he’s posted a lackluster 4.91 ERA (92 ERA+) in that point. That features a 5.24 ERA (84 ERA+) in 77 1/3 innings of labor throughout 15 begins final yr. As famous by Rosencrans in a latest mailbag, Ashcraft seems unlikely to make the membership’s rotation and should have even fallen behind Lowder to the seventh spot on the membership’s rotational depth chart at this level.
That makes Ashcraft a major candidate to maneuver right into a bullpen position, and Rosencrans notes that there’s an “inner perception” that Ashcraft might discover success behind the bullpen for the Reds if he doesn’t make the minimize for the membership’s beginning rotation. Alexis Diaz had a rollercoaster season within the nearer position in 2024, and if he or veteran set-up males Taylor Rogers and Emilio Pagan wrestle in 2025 it wouldn’t be tough to think about Ashcraft getting a chance to show himself as a excessive leverage reliever.
