Biggest Cincinnati Reds Surprises so Far in Spring Training

Spring training is still very young, but the Cincinnati Reds have had already had some surprises.

Cincinnati currently owns the worst record in the National League. The record is irrelevant for so many reasons, but they need to see some improvement in certain areas.

The surprises have been both good and bad, but the bad ones have been more obvious. Spring results have no impact on the regular season, so let's not go overboard. 

Injuries have been a big storyline in the first few weeks of camp. Right fielder Jay Bruce, third baseman Todd Frazier, catcher Ryan Hanigan and center fielder Shin-Soo Choo have all been dealing with injuries. Those issues have contributed to the team's woes on offense.

Although the injuries aren't a good sign, they have given younger players even more chances to shine. 

What have been the Reds' biggest surprises in spring training?

*All stats are from MLB.com.

Devin Mesoraco Has Been the Team's Best Offensive Player

Coming into camp, Devin Mesoraco was being challenged by Miguel Olivo for the backup catcher role. It looks like Mesoraco is in firm control of his destiny.

He has two home runs and six RBI, both of which lead the team. He is 5-for-13 on the spring, and he only has one strikeout. It's still early in the spring, but it's a positive sign after a miserable rookie season.

The catcher has been one of the few players on the team knocking in runs. It's a great sign to see, considering he struggled to produce runs last year.

With Ryan Hanigan battling an injury, Mesoraco should get plenty of chances to prove himself this spring. Although it's unlikely that he will be demoted, he needs to continue to hit to show that he has adjusted to the major leagues. 

Billy Hamilton Is Struggling to Put the Ball in Play

Every Reds fan's worst nightmare: a speedy leadoff hitter who is striking out at an alarming rate.

In only 18 at-bats this spring, Billy Hamilton has struck out eight times. He isn't going to make the roster this year, but this is hopefully just a blip in the radar rather than a trend.

Everyone is focused on seeing if he can play center field, so the strikeouts are being overlooked by many. 

The star prospect has blazing speed, which has helped him steal three bases despite only getting on four times this spring. However, speed doesn't help unless he can put the ball in play.

Hamilton struck out 113 times last year and 133 times the previous season. It's the first time that he has faced pitching above AA, so there will be some growing pains. 

The amount of pressure on this kid is unreal. Whether he's trying to live up to it already or the curse of the leadoff man lives on, he will need to adjust when he gets to Louisville.  

It's way too early to suggest that he could turn into another Drew Stubbs, but he needs to start putting the ball in play.

Youngsters Are Putting on a Show...

Although Billy Hamilton is struggling, other prospects are producing at the plate.

Outfielder Kristopher Negron is 5-for-9 and has three RBI. He has a double, a triple and a homer, which makes him the only player on the team to have all three. 

Infielder Henry Rodriguez is 8-for-18 in eight games, and he could find himself battling for the final bench spot. It would take a monster spring for him to win the spot, and he will probably end up in Louisville to get consistent playing time.

First baseman Donald Lutz is 6-for-14 and has a home run this spring. He has driven in five runs, trailing only Devin Mesoraco for the most on the team. Also at first, Neftali Soto is 5-for-18. Both players should get more at-bats when Joey Votto leaves for the World Baseball Classic. 

All of these players could reach the major leagues at some point in 2013, so the team has to be encouraged by these performances.

...but the Regulars Are Not

Outside of Joey Votto, the starters are having a rough spring.

Jay Bruce started the spring 1-for-14 before getting his first hit on Tuesday. The bright side to his slow start was that he had only struck out twice.

Another outfielder who is struggling at the plate is left fielder Ryan Ludwick. He is only 3-for-19 this spring. The veteran doesn't have an extra-base hit and has knocked in only one run.

Hopefully Bruce and Ludwick don't carry their struggles over to the regular season, because the Reds are counting on them in the middle of the lineup. 

Last year's rookies, shortstop Zack Cozart and third baseman Todd Frazier, are having rough springs. Cozart is 3-for-16 with a home run this spring, and Frazier is 2-for-13 but has drawn two walks.  

Throw in Ryan Hanigan (1-for-5) and the Reds have five starters hitting a combined .169 this spring.

Even reserve outfielder Chris Heisey is struggling at 4-for-18. The Reds were expecting to have a potent offense this season, but the lineup isn't clicking early on.

Brandon Phillips Has Two Errors

As the best defensive second baseman in the major leagues, it's been shocking to see that Brandon Phillips has two errors in the first seven games.

He trails Henry Rodriguez, who committed two errors on Monday, for the most on the team.

This is obviously not what the Reds will get from the three-time Gold Glove winner (who should have won his fourth last year) in the regular season, but it is very surprising to see him with two early miscues after committing only five all of last season.

Phillips will have a few errors in the regular season, but he will also get to more balls and make more spectacular plays than any other player at his position. 

Hopefully Phillips can flash some leather and dazzle the world while playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Alfredo Simon Can't Get Guys out

Alfredo Simon did a great job in saving the bullpen many times last year, but he is struggling to get guys out this spring.

In 4.2 innings over two appearances, Simon has allowed seven runs on 11 hits. Batters are hitting .458 against him right now. If he doesn't turn it around soon, he could be out of a job.

The Reds have plenty of arms battling for a couple of spots in the bullpen. Simon, Logan Ondrusek, Manny Parra, J.J. Hoover and Aroldis Chapman/Mike Leake are competing for roster spots.

Ondrusek and Parra will likely get spots, so it will be important for Simon to turn it around quickly. Luckily for him, Simon showed just how good he could be in relief last season. 

His 2.66 ERA last year was a pleasant surprise. He was able to come into games when his team was behind and keep it within reach.

Simon will have plenty of opportunities to regain his form, but there will be a lot of pressure on him to do it quickly.

Armando Galarraga Is Pitching Well

Most fans will remember Armando Galarraga from his near-perfect game against the Cleveland Indians in 2010. Three years later, he is trying to earn a spot in the major leagues.

The right-hander has pitched in only 13 games in the past two years, but he has been outstanding this spring.

In five innings, he has allowed one run on only three hits. He also has four strikeouts and has picked up a win.

Galarraga won't make the 25-man roster, but his performance hasn't gone unnoticed. 

The only year he finished with an ERA below 4.49 was 2008, when he went 13-7 with a career-high 126 strikeouts. He has only 108 strikeouts since Jim Joyce's infamous call. 

Now 31 years old, Galarraga is trying to get back to the big leagues. If he continues to pitch well, it would make for a great comeback story.