Spring Training -- What headlines to watch for the Cincinnati Reds

Going into Spring Training in Goodyear, AZ, there are always different headlines and stories to follow. This year for Cincinnati is no different. In this article we will dive into the different position battles and narratives that will follow the Reds throughout the Spring.

Defensive Rotations

Going into camp, its clear that there are going to be lots of platoon jobs, and split time across both the infield and outfield. Every infielder has the capability to play at least two positions, with some players, such as Spencer Steer, having the ability to play four or even five. Moving into camp there will be a few players trying new positions.

One of the most discussed position moves is for Jonathan India. With India recovering from plantar fasciitis, he hasn't spent much time this offseason working on a position change, but it has been brought up that he will get time at both first base, and in the outfield. It will be interesting to watch and see where he spends more time and how he fits.

Another player to watch defensively will be Jeimer Candelario. Jeimer has spent time in previous seasons at third, first, and even a bit of time at second. As the spring ramps up, we may be able to see where the Reds plan for him to spend the majority of his time. Candelario will definitely bounce around day-to-day, but there should be a clear positional focus for him as camp progresses.

The last thing to watch in terms of defensive rotation is how much the returning sophomores rotate around. Positional stability is often important to a players development, so expect McLain, Elly, Noelvi, and CES to stay put for the time being. If any movement happens with these young budding stars, it may be a more permanent positional change.

Who are the bench bats?

As Opening Day approaches, the players who will come off the bench should become more and more apparent. As the team stands now, it looks there will be two catchers (Stephenson and Maile), six infielders (India, McLain, Elly, Jeimer, CES, and Noelvi), and five outfielders (Steer, Friedl, Benson, Fraley, and Fairchild). Ahead of Spring Training, this seems like a pretty stable group, but there still with be competition for the last two spots.

Two of the thirteen players mentioned aren't guaranteed a spot, however. If Noelvi still shows sign of his offseason hamstring injury, management may play it cautious and choose that he opens the year in Louisville. Stuart Fairchild is another player who needs to have a solid spring. Stuart is the clear-cut number five outfielder, and some of the minor league bats will have a chance to make their argument against him.

Which bullpen arms make the cut?

The bullpen candidates headed into Spring Training are:

Righties:

Alexis Diaz (Cl)

Lucas Sims

Emilio Pagan

Ian Gibaut

Nick Martinez

Tejay Antone

Fernando Cruz

Lefties:

Sam Moll

Brent Suter

Alex Young

With a five man rotation, eight spots would be open for these ten names. It is likely the team will use two lefties, meaning one guy doesn't make it from each list. As of now, Alex Young seems to be the odd man out for the lefties, while Tejay or Fernando will likely be the righty who begins in Triple-A.

Some of these decisions will likely be decided by injury, but the performances throughout spring training will also play a role. If any of these relievers aren't stretched out, it may be a few weeks before they make their 2024 debut this season.

Wrap up

As this spring ramps up, many more storylines will pop up, some of which will have far greater implications than the narratives we've discussed in this article. With that said, all of these headlines will have a real impact on the team that comes out on Opening Day and weeks that will follow. For now, lets enjoy the spring season, as excitement builds for real baseball coming soon.