A total of 17 players made their major league debut for the Reds in 2017, and 29 over the last two seasons, both the highest numbers in the big leagues. If anything, there’s been no shortage of opportunity over the last two seasons in Cincinnati. The question has been: Who has stepped up to take advantage of that?
While the Reds’ rebuild only started in earnest at the All-Star break of 2015, many of those trades have shown modest results, and the draft classes from back-to-back seasons in the second slot are still working their way through the system.
While some of the team’s heralded pitching prospects took steps forward beyond simply making their debut in 2017, only one, Luis Castillo, cemented his place in the 2018 rotation. Castillo, 24, was acquired in January along with reliever Austin Brice and outfielder Zeke White, in exchange for Dan Straily. The righthanded Straily, who was the team’s pitcher of the year in 2016, was picked up off of waivers from the Padres just days before Opening Day in 2016 and flipped for a package that included one of the Marlins’ top arms, and Castillo exceeded even the Reds’ lofty expectations.
JOE ROBBINS/GETTY IMAGES
Rookie Luis Castillo emerged as a potential front-of-the-rotation option for the Reds.
A total of 10 rookies made starts for the Reds in 2017, and nine rookies made a combined 33 starts in the team’s final 40 games of the season. When that many auditions are given, you’d hope to have more callbacks.
Lefthander Amir Garrett started out strong, but struggled after being sent back to the minors in mid-May, in part to keep his service time down. He also dealt with nagging injuries and never performed the way he did in his first six starts of the season (3-2, 4.25 ERA). Righthanders Rookie Davis and Sal Romano started the season in the Reds’ rotation and were quickly demoted. Davis ended the year with hip surgery, while Romano finished strong down the stretch after improving his changeup as a third offering. Robert Stephenson started in the big league bullpen, and finished strong down the stretch, giving the Reds hope for his future in the rotation. Lefty Cody Reed continued to show disappointing results that belie his overall talent in what was something of a lost season in the Reds’ bullpen and in the Triple-A rotation.
Like Castillo, righthander Tyler Mahle started the season in Double-A and ended it in the big leagues with a leg up on the competition for the 2018 rotation.
Dick Williams is entering his third year as the team’s general manager, but just his second as the team’s primary decision maker. In the last international signing season, the Reds blew past the team’s international pool limit, spending more than $30 million overall, including penalties. That netted a trio of Cubans, a market that the Reds have mined before, for shortstops Alfredo Rodriguez and Jose Israel Garcia and righthander Vladimir Gutierrez.
PROJECTED 2021 LINEUP
Catcher |
Tucker Barnhart (30) |
First Base |
Joey Votto (37) |
Second Base |
Eugenio Suarez (29) |
Third Base |
Nick Senzel (26) |
Shortstop |
Jose Peraza (27) |
Left Field |
Taylor Trammell (23) |
Center Field |
Billy Hamilton (30) |
Right Field |
Jesse Winker (27) |
No. 1 Starter |
Hunter Greene (21) |
No. 2 Starter |
Luis Castillo (28) |
No. 3 Starter |
Tyler Mahle (26) |
No. 4 Starter |
Robert Stephenson (28) |
No. 5 Starter |
Amir Garrett (29) |
Closer |
Raisel Iglesias (31) |
The system has also been bolstered by two strong drafts while picking in the second spot. Both third baseman Nick Senzel and righthander Hunter Greene are considered to be the top picks in those drafts, while the team has added other high-profile pieces the last two Junes, such as outfielder Taylor Trammell and shortstop Jeter Downs. The Reds continue to build depth, but producing stars is the next step.