Cincinnati Reds' 2015 Spring Training Preview
A long offseason is nearing the end, so it's time to take a look at how the Cincinnati Reds look entering spring training.
During the long offseason, plenty of things happened with the Reds. The team traded key players, added pieces and got healthy. That last part may be the biggest key to the 2015 season.
The 2014 Reds were stung by the injury bug early and often. Injuries to key players throughout the season were too much to overcome and ultimately led to the team missing the playoffs for just the second time in five years.
While some may believe that Cincinnati entered a rebuilding stage this offseason, there is plenty of talent—when healthy—on the roster. This team could surprise some people as long as the injury bug doesn't make its way through the clubhouse again.
Keep reading to see what happened with the Reds this offseason and what the club looks like entering camp.
Offseason Recap
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Key Additions
| Player | 2014 Stats |
| LF Marlon Byrd | 154 G, .264/.312/.445, 25 HR, 28 HR, 2 3B, 85 RBI |
| RHP Anthony DeSclafani | 13 G (5 GS), 2-2, 6.27 ERA, 1.364 WHIP, 26 K/5 BB, 33 IP |
| INF Eugenio Suarez | 85 G, .242/.316/.336, 4 HR, 9 2B, 1 3B, 23 RBI |
| RHP Burke Badenhop | 70 G, 0-3, 2.29 ERA, 1.259 WHIP, 40 K/19 BB, 70.2 IP |
Minor League Free-Agent Signings With Spring Training Invites
RHP Nate Adcock, OF Brennan Boesch, C Ramon Cabrera, 2B Ivan De Jesus, 3B Chris Dominguez, 3B Irving Falu, RHP Kevin Gregg, LHP Paul Maholm, RHP Jason Marquis, LHP Jose Mijares, 1B Josh Satin, C Kyle Skipworth, 1B Neftali Soto
Analysis
Cincinnati made quite a few moves this offseason, acquiring some pieces who could play some big roles on the team this season.
The club focused on finding a left fielder this winter. It moved on from Ryan Ludwick and managed to find a left fielder with some pop in Marlon Byrd. Byrd will provide power down in the lineup, which is something that the team desperately needed last season.
Anthony DeSclafani was the big piece the Reds got in return for Mat Latos, and he is expected to come in and compete for a rotation spot. He may have struggled a bit in his first stint in the majors last year, but this season could be a chance for him to get some experience.
In recent seasons, the Reds signed light-hitting veterans—for example, Cesar Izturis and Ramon Santiago—to serve as the backup shortstop. In Eugenio Suarez, the club added a young player who should be able to give quality at-bats when he fills in for Zack Cozart.
Cincinnati addressed its bullpen late in the offseason but was able to nab a reliable reliever. Burke Badenhop has been a very reliable reliever since 2009, so he should help a bullpen that struggled mightily last season.
Although the Reds lost some key pieces this offseason, they did manage to add some quality players—for cheap. Their additions should be able to contribute enough to help the team contend.
Key Losses
| Player | 2014 Stats |
| RHP Mat Latos | 16 GS, 5-5, 3.25 ERA, 1.153 WHIP, 74 K/26 BB, 102.1 IP |
| RHP Alfredo Simon | 32 G, 15-10, 3.44 ERA, 1.207 WHIP, 127 K/56 BB, 196.1 IP |
| LF Ryan Ludwick | 112 G, .244/.308/.375, 9 HR, 20 2B, 45 RBI |
| OF Chris Heisey | 119 G, .222/.265/.378, 8 HR, 15 2B, 2 3B, 22 RBI, 9 SB |
| RHP Logan Ondrusek | 40 GS, 3-3, 5.49 ERA, 1.610 WHIP, 42 K/16 BB, 41 IP |
Analysis
There's no way around it. In 2015, the Reds will have a tough time replacing the pieces that it lost this offseason.
Two key members of last year's rotation are now pitching for other teams. Latos helped steady the rotation the past three seasons, but with his expiring contract, the team decided to build for the future. Alfredo Simon, a 2014 All-Star, had a great first half but struggled in the second half as the workload piled up. Not knowing what it would get out of Simon next season, the Reds dealt him for some needed depth.
Losing 40 percent of a rotation that ranked third in all of baseball won't be easy to overcome. However, Cincinnati did get some quality pieces in return for the two right-handers.
Since tearing his labrum on Opening Day 2013, Ryan Ludwick had struggled to put up the power numbers that he posted in 2012. With a hefty option for 2015 and a decline in power, the Reds moved on from the veteran outfielder.
Outside of Latos, Chris Heisey might be the player the Reds miss the most this season. The outfielder never was able to grab a hold of the left field job during his time in Cincinnati, but he was a valuable member of the bench. He provided pop, speed and defense off the bench. Without Heisey, the Reds are going to have to find someone else to turn to off the bench late in games.
Injury Updates Entering Camp
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1B Joey Votto
Everyone in Reds country wants to know how Joey Votto is doing after being limited to 62 games last season because of a quad injury. Until he gets on the field, nobody will know for sure how the first baseman feels.
According to manager Bryan Price, via The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay, the report on Votto's health this offseason is good.
Votto's injury forced him onto the disabled list early in the season. He came back from the injury after nearly a month off but was finally put back on the disabled list in early July. It has been about seven months since he last played in a game, so Reds fans are hoping that he will be 100 percent come Opening Day.
RF Jay Bruce
Jay Bruce underwent knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus last May. Incredibly, he missed just 15 days. However, it was clear that he was just not right after he returned from the disabled list.
The right fielder played through the injury all season but never used it as an excuse for his rough season, which he easily could have done. Now, he has had an offseason to try to get healthy.
As Fay noted, Price also said that the report on Bruce's health was good this offseason.
RHP Homer Bailey
Homer Bailey put together a solid season in 2014 but had to miss the final two months of the season after tearing his flexor mass tendon near his right forearm. He had surgery in September to repair the tendon and was expected to be ready by Opening Day.
There hasn't been an official report on Bailey's status this offseason, but Fay tweeted that the right-hander did begin throwing this offseason around the same time that he usually does.
LHP Tony Cingrani
After struggling in the majors last season and eventually being demoted to Triple-A, Tony Cingrani was shut down with a shoulder injury. The southpaw's status is something to keep an eye on this spring.
Cingrani made his final appearance of the season on June 19. However, there hasn't been many updates on his status. Considering that Price, via The Cincinnati Enquirer's C. Trent Rosecrans, named Cingrani as a favorite to win a rotation spot, it's likely that the left-hander will be ready for spring training.
LHP Sean Marshall
Sean Marshall, one of the biggest parts of Cincinnati's bullpen, has missed the majority of the past two seasons with injuries. If the bullpen is going to bounce back after a rough season, it needs Marshall healthy.
The southpaw had surgery on his pitching shoulder in June. That meant that he was done for the season, giving him a total of just 31 appearances in two seasons.
Fay was recently asked about Marshall's status but didn't have any news to share.
Lineup Preview
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Projected Lineup
| Player | 2014 Stats |
| 1. CF Billy Hamilton | 152 G, .250/.292/.355, 6 HR, 25 2B, 8 3B, 48 RBI, 56 SB, 23 CS |
| 2. 2B Brandon Phillips | 121 G, .266/.306/.372, 8 HR, 25 2B, 51 RBI |
| 3. 1B Joey Votto | 62 G, .255/.390/.409, 6 HR, 16 2B, 23 RBI |
| 4. 3B Todd Frazier | 157 G, .273/.336/.459, 29 HR, 22 2B, 1 3B, 80 RBI, 20 SB |
| 5. RF Jay Bruce | 137 G, .217/.281/.373, 18 HR, 21 2B, 1 3B, 66 RBI, 12 SB |
| 6. C Devin Mesoraco | 114 G, .273/.359/.534, 25 HR, 25 2B, 80 RBI |
| 7. LF Marlon Byrd | 154 G, .264/.312/.445, 25 HR, 28 HR, 2 3B, 85 RBI |
| 8. SS Zack Cozart | 147 G, .221/.268/.300, 4 HR, 18 2B, 5 3B, 38 RBI, 7 SB |
Projected Bench
| Player | 2014 Stats |
| C Brayan Pena | 115 G, .253/.291/.353, 5 HR, 18 2B, 1 3B, 26 RBI |
| UT Skip Schumaker | 83 G, .235/.287/.308, 2 HR, 12 2B, 22 RBI |
| UT Kristopher Negron | 49 G, .271/.331/.479, 6 HR, 10 2B, 1 3B, 17 RBI, 5 SB |
| INF Eugenio Suarez | 85 G, .242/.316/.336, 4 HR, 9 2B, 1 3B, 23 RBI |
| OF Brennan Boesch | 27 G, .187/.203/.293, 2 HR, 2 2B, 7 RBI |
Analysis
The Reds lineup will look fairly similar to last year's Opening Day lineup, but this lineup should be a bit more potent than last year's.
Joey Votto and Jay Bruce have had an offseason to recover from injuries that either kept them out of the lineup last season or dramatically hurt their numbers. Todd Frazier and Devin Mesoraco are each coming off breakout seasons at the plate, which earned them each a spot on the National League All-Star squad. Having those four in the middle of the lineup should create quite a bit of offense.
Cincinnati added Marlon Byrd this offseason to give the lineup a little bit more depth. He has a career .278 average and has hit 20-plus home runs in each of the past two seasons. His bat should be a significant upgrade over what the Reds have had in left field the past two seasons. And if he produces the way he did last year, he could be what helps the team get back to the postseason.
Of course, Billy Hamilton is going to be one of the most important players in the lineup. When he gets on base, he makes things happen. When he didn't get on base last year, the Reds struggled to score. If he can put the ball on the ground more frequently, watch out.
Barring injuries, the starting eight is set. The batting order is the only question. Will Brandon Phillips hit second or will he get bumped down in the order? Once Phillips' spot is set, everything else will fall into place.
Phillips hit .306 in limited action in the No. 2 spot last year and has a career .276 average while batting second. The veteran second baseman is willing to adjust his approach in order to move the runner(s) by any means necessary, including laying down a bunt. That's what a team needs out of a No. 2 hitter.
Frazier—who hit .294 in the No. 2 spot in 2014—did well while hitting second. However, with his power and ability to drive in runs, he is better suited to hit in the middle of the lineup for this team. If Phillips struggles to start the season, Frazier could easily be moved into the second spot.
Just take a look at that projected lineup. If the starters can stay healthy, the offense will be just fine.
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Rotation Preview
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Projected Rotation
| Player | 2014 Stats |
| RHP Johnny Cueto | 34 G, 20-9, 2.25 ERA, 0.960 WHIP, 242 K/65 BB, 243.2 IP, 4 CG (2 SO) |
| RHP Homer Bailey | 23 G, 9-5, 3.71 ERA, 1.229 WHIP, 124 K/45 BB, 145.2 IP |
| RHP Mike Leake | 33 G, 11-13, 3.70 ERA, 1.246 WHIP, 164 K/50 BB, 214.1 IP |
| LHP Tony Cingrani | 13 G (11 GS), 2-8, 4.55 ERA, 1.532 WHIP, 61 K/35 BB, 63.1 IP |
| RHP Anthony DeSclafani | 13 G (5 GS), 2-2, 6.27 ERA, 1.364 WHIP, 26 K/5 BB, 33 IP |
Other Rotation Options
| Player | 2014 Stats (*indicates 2013 stats) |
| RHP Raisel Iglesias | N/A |
| RHP Dylan Axelrod | 5 G (4 GS), 2-1, 2.95 ERA, 0.982 WHIP, 20 K/4 BB, 18.1 IP |
| LHP David Holmberg | 7 G (5 GS), 2-2, 4.80 ERA, 1.433 WHIP, 18 K/16 BB, 30 IP |
| LHP Paul Maholm | 30 G (8 GS), 1-5, 4.84 ERA, 1.557 WHIP, 34 K/28 BB, 70.2 IP |
| RHP Jason Marquis | *20 GS, 9-5, 4.05 ERA, 1.521 WHIP, 72 K/68 BB, 117.2 IP |
Anaylsis
With Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon no longer on the team, the Reds are going to need some youngsters to step up in order to keep the rotation among the best in all of baseball.
Cincinnati knows what it's getting out of Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey and Mike Leake. As long as those three stay healthy, the team should be able to hang in the playoff race. How legitimate of contenders the team actually is will come down to the back of the rotation.
Both Tony Cingrani and Anthony DeSclafani have the potential to put up good numbers. For Cingrani, it's going to come down to if he can stay healthy and effectively mix in his secondary pitches. DeSclafani will have a tougher task, given that he has less experience and will have to adjust to pitching at Great American Ball Park.
However, as the back of the rotation, there will be very little pressure on the two young pitchers.
This rotation could be scary good if Raisel Iglesias lives up to the hype and is able to make the 25-man roster out of camp. He's a bit of a wild card, given that the team hasn't said much on how ready he is for the show. If he comes out and dominates in the spring, he's going to be tough to leave out of the rotation.
Overall, the rotation should once again be the strength of the team. The Cueto-Bailey-Leake trio is tough to beat. Cingrani and DeSclafani (or possibly Iglesias) have to prove themselves, but they could help the Reds be a pleasant surprise this season with strong performances.
Bullpen Preview
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Projected Bullpen
| Player | 2014 Stats |
| LHP Aroldis Chapman | 54 G, 0-3, 36 SV, 2.00 ERA, 0.833 WHIP, 106 K/24 BB, 54 IP |
| LHP Sean Marshall | 15 G, 0-0, 7.71 ERA, 2.500 WHIP, 14 K/12 BB, 14 IP |
| RHP Sam LeCure | 62 G, 1-4, 3.81 ERA, 1.518 WHIP, 48 K/24 BB, 56.2 IP |
| RHP Jumbo Diaz | 36 G, 0-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.240 WHIP, 37 K/14, 34.2 IP |
| RHP J.J. Hoover | 54 G, 1-10, 4.88 ERA, 1.388 WHIP, 75 K/31 BB, 62.2 IP |
| LHP Manny Parra | 53 G, 0-3, 1 SV, 4.66 ERA, 1.555 WHIP, 34 K/18 BB, 36.2 IP |
| RHP Burke Badenhop | 70 G, 0-3, 2.29 ERA, 1.259 WHIP, 40 K/19 BB, 70.2 IP |
Other Bullpen Options
| Player | 2014 Stats (*indicates Triple-A stats) |
| RHP Raisel Iglesias | N/A |
| RHP Kevin Gregg | 12 G, 10.00 ERA, 1.778 WHIP, 6 K/5 BB, 9 IP |
| LHP Paul Maholm | 30 G (8 GS), 1-5, 4.84 ERA, 1.557 WHIP, 34 K/28 BB, 70.2 IP |
| RHP Keyvius Sampson | *38 G (14 GS), 2-5, 6.68 ERA, 1.735 WHIP, 94 K/68 BB, 91.2 IP |
| RHP Matt Magill | 36 G (12 GS), 7-6, 5.21 ERA, 1.642 WHIP, 70 K/59 BB, 84.2 IP |
Analysis
Last season, Cincinnati's bullpen was a mess. The team tried to use many different pitchers, but there weren't many who came through and got hitters out consistently.
Reds relievers posted a 4.11 ERA last season, which ranked 26th in baseball. That has to get better if the team is going to contend this season.
There are no question marks surrounding Aroldis Chapman. The flamethrower mixed in his slider and changeup frequently last year and saw incredible results. If the Reds have the lead heading into the ninth inning, good luck beating the Cuban Missile.
However, getting the lead to Chapman might be a challenge.
Sam LeCure is the most reliable reliever Cincinnati has outside of Chapman. The veteran right-hander gives the team solid innings out of the bullpen.
Sean Marshall and Manny Parra are both expected to be big parts of the bullpen. Marshall's recent injuries have limited him to just 31 appearances the past two seasons, and Parra struggled to get hitters out last year. Both pitchers will have to prove that they can be effective in order to be throw into crucial spots late in games.
Jumbo Diaz did very well for the Reds after finally getting to the majors last season. He can hit high 90s with his fastball but doesn't have a track record. Now, he must prove that last season wasn't a fluke.
J.J. Hoover, on the other hand, has proven himself but is coming off a horrendous season. The right-hander actually set a career-high with 75 strikeouts in 2014. However, he did struggle mightily. He walked 31 batters in 62.2 innings, which when added with the 13 home runs he allowed (second-most in MLB), is a recipe for disaster. If Hoover bounces back, the Reds will have a deep bullpen.
Cincinnati waited a while before addressing its bullpen this offseason. However, the club was able to add a pretty good reliever.
The Reds signed Burke Badenhop, whose ability to get ground balls will help him out at Great American Ball Park. The right-hander has a 3.35 ERA in 340 career relief outings. His ERA has been below 3.50 in each of the past three seasons and dropped all the way down to 2.29 last season. Regardless of how Diaz and Hoover pitch this season, Badenhop gives the team a right-hander it can rely on in the middle innings.
The Reds bullpen is full of question marks. Chapman, LeCure and Badenhop are about the only relievers who have put up consistently good numbers the past few seasons. Reds fans should be cautiously optimistic about the bullpen, but the middle innings could be an adventure yet again this season.
Prospects to Watch
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RHP Robert Stephenson
Robert Stephenson likely won't be making his major league debut until September, but his time is quickly coming.
The right-hander has been a highly touted prospect since the Reds selected him in the first round of the 2011 draft. Now that he is inching closer to the big leagues, the pressure will slowly begin to rise.
After getting promoted to Double-A late in the 2013 season, he was able to get a full season against tougher competition. Stephenson went 7-10 with a 4.75 ERA and a 1.379 WHIP in 27 games—26 starts—at Double-A last season.
Stephenson is perhaps the Reds' best pitching prospect since Homer Bailey. The 21-year-old will have a little bit more time to get some seasoning in the minors, but come 2016, Stephenson is going to be expected to join the big-league rotation.
OF Jesse Winker
Jesse Winker is the reason the Reds went looking for a short-term left fielder this offseason. The youngster is still in the low levels of the minor leagues, but if he continues to put up good numbers, he could be in the majors much sooner than expected.
There's not really much he can't do—especially on offense. He can hit for average and power.
The Reds don't have many outfielders in the minor leagues who could make an impact in the majors this season. However, Winker isn't too far out.
A wrist injury limited Winker to just 74 games last season. If he can bounce back and stay healthy, fans will want to keep an eye on the talented outfielder this year.
Breakout Candidates
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CF Billy Hamilton
The Reds are full of proven players, so there are not too many breakout candidates on the projected roster. However, Billy Hamilton is poised for a breakout season now that he has a year of experience under his belt and an offseason to adjust.
Hamilton was fairly impressive for the majority of his rookie season before fading down the stretch. The 24-year-old played Gold Glove-caliber defense, showed he has a rocket for an arm and, of course, wreaked havoc on the bases.
If he is going to take his game to the next level, he is going to need to get a better knowledge of the strike zone (117 strikeouts and 34 walks in 611 plate appearances) and avoid putting the ball in the air.
According to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon, Hamilton spent the offseason working with Triple-A manager Delino DeShields. They have worked on the youngster's game, with the hopes that he will put the ball on the ground and utilize his speed.
Cincinnati needs Hamilton to get on base to set the tone. If his offseason work pays off, Hamilton could become one of the scariest leadoff hitters in the league.
Tony Cingrani
Tony Cingrani had a bit of a breakout season in 2013, but given that he has yet to establish himself in the majors, he is another breakout candidate.
Two seasons ago, the southpaw posted a 2.77 ERA and a 1.038 WHIP in 18 starts. He struck out 109 batters, walked just 36 and held batters to a .192 average as a starter. Those numbers are very good for a rookie pitcher; they are even better when you consider he did it with just a fastball.
Cingrani struggled last year as he tried to mix in his secondary pitches. He had a sensational first start of the season (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 9 K), but he recorded just two quality starts in his next 10 starts. He was moved to the bullpen when Mat Latos returned from injury and was then sent to the minors. However, shortly after being sent down to Triple-A, he was shut down with a shoulder injury.
The 25-year-old has dominated minor league hitters. At this point in his career, it's time for him to prove himself in the majors. The left-hander has already shown that he has what it takes to get big league hitters out. Now, it's his time to grab a rotation spot and hold onto it.
Position Battle Predictions
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No. 4 and No. 5 Spots in Rotation
For the first time in a few years, the Reds will have a serious competition for rotation spots.
Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey and Mike Leake will make up the front of the rotation. That much is known. The rest will be worked out this spring.
According to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Cincinnati Enquirer, Reds manager Bryan Price said that left-hander Tony Cingrani and right-hander Anthony DeSclafani enter camp as "favorites" for the final two spots.
Those two young pitchers may be the favorites to win the final two spots; there are no shortage of options. Dylan Axelrod and David Holmberg each did fairly well in spot starts for the Reds last year. Raisel Iglesias is viewed as part of the rotation of the future. The club also signed veteran pitchers Paul Maholm and Jason Marquis to minor league deals this winter.
Barring an injury, it's hard to imagine that Cingrani doesn't win a spot in the rotation. He has had some success in the majors early on in his career, posting a 3.50 ERA in his first 29 starts. He has 167 strikeouts in 157 innings in the majors. He did, however, get shut down in the middle of last season with a shoulder injury, so that is something to keep an eye on this spring.
Assuming Cingrani wins a spot in the rotation, the final spot will come down to DeSclafani and Iglesias.
Iglesias hasn't pitched much with the organization since being signed in the middle of last year, so the Reds might want to get him some experience—either in the minors or in the bullpen—before putting him in the major-league rotation. Unless Iglesias puts up crazy numbers this spring, DeSclafani is likely going to make the rotation.
Final Bench Spot
The only other real position battle Cincinnati will have in camp is the battle for the final bench spot.
Jason Bourgeois, Brennan Boesch, Donald Lutz and Yorman Rodriguez are among the players who will battle for the spot. At this moment, there doesn't appear to be a favorite.
This is a spot that will take some time to sort out. Boesch has the most power out of all of the candidates, but he's not on the 40-man roster. If he puts on a show like he did in Triple-A last season, the team will have a tough time not finding a roster spot for him.
*All stats are via MLB.com.
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