2 Reds who deserve a promotion, 2 who should follow Edwin Arroyo back to the minors

The Cincinnati Reds won three straight series coming out of the All-Star break, but after dropping the Ohio Cup to the Cleveland Guardians earlier this week, it may be too little, too late. Cincinnati is still looking up at several clubs in the NL Wild Card standings, and all signs point to the Reds being sellers at this year's MLB trade deadline.

The impending roster shakeup will have implications up and down the organization — both in the major and minor leagues. A handful of prospects could receive a chance to prove themselves during the second half of the season, and a couple of under-performers could be relegated back to the minors.

The Reds already sent former top prospects Edwin Arroyo and Chase Petty back to the minors on Thursday, and more players could follow in the coming days. Let's look at two Reds' minor leaguers who deserve a shot to play in the big leagues after the trade deadline, and two players on the active roster who belong back at Triple-A Louisville.

2 Reds players who deserve a big-league promotion

Héctor Rodríguez, Reds outfielder

By now, almost every Reds fan has heard the name Héctor Rodríguez. The young outfielder was part of a deadline deal four years, and he's grown into a highly-regarded prospect. Rodríguez launched his 26th minor-league home run earlier this week, and it's time for the Reds to give him a chance to prove himself in the big leagues.

Michael Toglia, Reds infielder

Michael Toglia was a non-roster invitee to Reds' spring training, and has spent the entire 2026 season at Triple-A Louisville. The slugger spent four seasons with the Colorado Rockies and was always known for his light-tower power. He's shown plenty of that this season with 19 homers, 57 RBI, and 130 wRC+ in 85 games with the Louisville Bats.

2 Reds players who should be sent back to the minors

TJ Friedl, Reds infielder

What's happened to TJ Friedl? That's the question that's on the mind of every Reds fan, coach, and probably Friedl himself. The 30-year-old outfielder enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2025, but his performance this season has been anything but. His defense in center field has been better than most expected, but the bat has let him down. He's not even getting on base consistently and has a 42 wRC+ this season. Ouch!

Noelvi Marte, Reds outfielder

Some might argue that Noelvi Marte should start every game in right field over the final two months of the season. But how many more chances does he need? In 238 games, he's compiled 879 plate appearances and owns a .243/.284/.393 slash line with an 81 wRC+. Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Rece Hinds weren't afforded nearly as many opportunities as Marte. What makes him so special?

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