Predictions for Each Top Offseason Acquisition's Career with Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds have had a fairly busy offseason, as they have cleared some payroll as well as added talent for the 2015 season. Now, it's time to look at what kind of an impact each player acquired this winter can have with the club.

While some may say that Cincinnati is in a rebuilding stage, that's not the case at all. The Reds cleared some payroll by trading veteran pitchers Alfredo Simon and Mat Latos and got back a pretty good return for each. The players they got in return are meant to help in the future, but they could also contribute to the team this year.

It's no secret that the Reds have a bit of a payroll problem thanks to a handful of big contracts. With those contracts, the club was forced to make some tough decisions this winter. Now, with spring approaching, it will be time to see what the team has in the players it got in return for veteran players this offseason.

Keep reading to see what kind of an impact the Reds' top acquisitions from this offseason will have with the team.

Reds' 2014-15 Major Offseason Deals

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Dec. 2: Traded OF Chris Heisey to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for RHP Matt Magill

Dec. 11: Traded RHP Alfredo Simon to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for INF Eugenio Suarez and RHP Jonathon Crawford

Dec. 11: Traded RHP Mat Latos to the Miami Marlins in exchange for RHP Anthony DeSclafani and C Chad Wallach

Dec. 31: Acquired LF Marlon Byrd from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for RHP Ben Lively

LF Marlon Byrd

Entering the offseason, left field was the area that Cincinnati needed to address the most. It took the team a while to acquire a left fielder, but it finally got one when it traded for Marlon Byrd from the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of December.

Byrd was exactly what the Reds were looking for. They wanted a veteran player who could provide pop from the right side of the plate; they were also looking for someone who would only be under contract for a year or two to handle left field until prospect Jesse Winker is ready.

The 37-year-old Byrd has had a bit of a resurgence the past two seasons. After hitting 82 home runs through the first 11 seasons of his career, the outfielder has slugged 49 homers over the past two seasons. With the increase in home runs has come an increase in strikeouts. Byrd struck out a career-high 185 times in 2014.

Byrd is a career .278 hitter. He dropped down to .264 last year, mainly due to a huge spike in strikeouts. Hitting for power shouldn't be much of an issue for Byrd at Great American Ball Park, so even if he is able to adjust his approach to cut down on the whiffs, his power numbers shouldn't drop off much.

At minimum, the Reds will have Byrd for one season. If he does what he was brought in to do and helps the team contend this year, his 2016 option will be exercised. If he is productive but the team struggles early, he could be dealt at the trade deadline. 

Byrd should hit a minimum of .270, 20 home runs and 75 RBI. If he can do that to add depth to the bottom half of the order, the Reds will have a pretty deep lineup.

Projection: Short-term power bat

INF Eugenio Suarez

The Reds have gone through their fair share of veteran utility players for the bench the past few seasons. By acquiring Eugenio Suarez in the Alfredo Simon trade, they got a young player who may be able to give the team quality at-bats when called upon—which hasn't been the case with previous utility men.

Suarez hit .242 with four home runs, nine doubles and one triple in 85 games with the Detroit Tigers in 2014. It was the first time he had gotten his feet wet in the majors after spending six seasons in the minors.

The 23-year-old had a career .278 average and a .362 on-base percentage in the minors. He also had 33 home runs in the minors. 

Cincinnati lacked a legitimate backup shortstop last year. In years prior, it had been filling the hole with veterans nearing the end of their careers who provided little with the bat. Suarez—who can play shortstop, second base, third base and even some outfield—should bring more to the plate than any of the utility players (Wilson Valdez, Cesar Izturis, etc.) the club has had in recent seasons.

While some Reds fans may wonder if Suarez will be able to supplant Zack Cozart at shortstop, it's unlikely. Suarez may end up hitting for a slightly higher average, but with the way Cozart plays defense, he's the shortstop.

For now, Suarez will serve as a backup utility infielder. If he proves that he can hit at the major league level, he could work his way into the conversation to replace Brandon Phillips at second base when that day comes. However, his main position is shortstop.

Projection: Backup infielder

RHP Anthony DeSclafani

Anthony DeSclafani was the big piece the Reds got in return for Mat Latos, so there are high hopes for the 24-year-old.

DeSclafani has a good fastball, a promising slider and a decent changeup. If he can work on his secondary pitches, he could be a very effective starting pitcher in the majors.

It would be crazy to think that DeSclafani will come in and put up Latos-like numbers. However, DeSclafani will get a chance to battle with Tony Cingrani, Raisel Iglesias, Dylan Axelrod and David Holmberg for rotation spots this spring.

In 2014, DeSclafani got to pitch in the majors for the first time in his career. He went 2-2 with a 6.27 ERA in 13 games (five starts) with the Miami Marlins. He did give up 40 hits in 33 innings, but his control was pretty good—which isn't always easy for young pitchers. The right-hander struck out 26 batters and walked just five in his first stint in the majors.

DeSclafani has the talent to be a major league pitcher. If his secondary pitches develop, he could turn into a very solid starting pitcher. If he is unable to improve his changeup, his fastball-slider combination could make him a pretty effective reliever.

Projection: Middle-of-the-rotation starter

RHP Matt Magill

Cincinnati needed to address its bullpen without spending much money, and it was able to get a young arm by trading outfielder Chris Heisey to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for right-hander Matt Magill.

Magill's role with the 2015 Reds is simple: pitch the middle innings.

The Reds have Jumbo Diaz, Sam LeCure and Sean Marshall to pitch the seventh and eighth innings, and Aroldis Chapman is the closer. Whenever Magill gets a chance to join the Reds bullpen, there will be very little pressure on him to take on an important role. That should help him relax and just pitch.

Pitching relaxed is a key because control has been an issue. He struck out 26 and walked 28 in 27.2 innings in his first stint in the majors back in 2013. He then spent the entire 2014 season in Triple-A, where he struck out 70 and walked 59 in 84.2 innings in 36 games (12 starts). The 25-year-old has walked 313 batters in 687 career innings in the minors, with his strikeout-to-walk ratio dropping in recent seasons. 

Given those control issues, he may need to spend some time in the minors before pitching for Cincinnati. He had been a starter in the early years of his career but switched over to a reliever last season. His control has been a bigger issue in recent seasons, and at Great American Ball Park, pitchers can't afford to give free passes.

Magill has the makings of a middle reliever. He has a good fastball and pretty solid slider. If he can learn to throw strikes consistently and avoid the sweet spot, he will get his chance to be a reliever who can bridge the gap from the starters to the late-inning relievers.

Projection: Middle reliever

*All information via Baseball-Reference.com