Their reporting suggests they are more likely to add an outfielder via the trade route than a new free agent. While Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall noted this weekend that the latest moves will likely allow Gavin Lux to spend more time as a utility infielder, he is still an option in the outfield if needed. The same can be said for Spencer Steer, who Krall noted the team would like to see at first base given his defense at that position.
Even if you take those two guys out of the mix, there are still quite a few players left in the mix. This is what the profile of the 40-man outfielders looks like:
Center fielders
- TJ Friedl
- Dan Myers
- Blake Dunn
Corner outfielders
- Noelvi Marte
- Will Benson
- JJ Bleday
- Tyler Callihan
- Rece Hinds
- Hector Rodriguez
Some of those on the corner outfield list have some experience in midfield, but the club has stated that they are seen more as corner outfielders (Bleday for example) or their use in the center tells us the story.
The Reds have to pretty much lock up their spots in their outfield. TJ Friedl will be the starting center fielder and Noelvi Marte will be the starting right fielder. Hector Rodriguez will almost certainly start the year in Triple-A, where he has limited experience. But everyone else has big league time under their belts and should start spring training in seven weeks with a chance to perform well with the club in March. And an important point to make here too is that all of these ‘non-starters’ have at least one option year left and could be sent to the minor leagues if the club wants to take a different direction at the highest level.
Cincinnati is likely looking to add someone who can probably play center and throw left-handed. Those species are scarce. But when you take Dane Myers and talk about how he can do those things despite having fewer than 200 at-bats in the major leagues against left-handed pitchers and also turning 30 before the season starts, you know how much you believe the team needs to find a player who can fill that role on the roster.
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