Cincinnati Reds just faced a type of spring training they haven’t seen in five years

The Cincinnati Reds haven’t seen a spring training this competitive since the middle of their last playoff run.

In 2013 the Cincinnati Reds had an essentially set roster.  In 2014 the rebuild began.  Since then the team has used spring training to figure out how to piece together a team.

This spring the Reds focused on competition.  Most of the everyday starters should feel comfortable regarding their status for opening day, but not beyond.  Aside from Joey Votto, no one can feel that their starting spot is safe given Dilson Herrera is hanging out in Louisville.

New second baseman Jose Peraza and right fielder Scott Schebler should feel the most pressure.  They are the return for Todd Frazier and neither has a long  enough MLB track record to overcome a sustained slump to start the season.  Aside from Herrera, there is also pressure from bench player Arismendy Alcantara for playing time.

There’s another prospect that wants to be an everyday player in Jesse Winker.  That should make Billy Hamilton and Adam Duvall, in addition to Schebler, feel pressure.  Winker has been the Reds’ top outfield prospect for a couple of years now and is just waiting for a starting role to open up.

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Of course, the catching position is wide open.  At this point it appears that the Reds are just trying to hold things together until Tyler Stephenson can hit at the MLB level.  Until then the position will be run by the health of Devin Mesoraco and whatever competition the rest of the catching staff can provide.

The pitching situation for the Cincinnati Reds is much more complex than the starting eight.

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The signings of Drew Storen and Scott Feldman puts pressure on everyone besides Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan.  Storen can be anything from a lockdown closer to a mid-inning reliever a la Blake Wood last year.  Feldman, meanwhile, can be anything for a starter to a closer and everything in between.

Feldman won the opening day starting role by default.  DeSclafani had a solid lead due to his experience and longer starting history than Finnegan heading into camp, but hurt his elbow.

Finnegan had a chance to starter the first game in a true open competition, but took a step back when Feldman joined the rotation.

The Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen has ended up with significant changes from spring training as well.

For the rest of the staff Blake Wood and Tony Cingrani are guaranteed some role in the bullpen, but not much beyond that.  Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen appear destined to be the back end of the bullpen.  But with Storen and Cingrani in the wings a slip up could cause both or either to be relegated to the earlier innings or even the minors for more seasoning.

Including Iglesias and Lorenzen as making the team, that left three spots open in the pen. We still don’t know the fate of Bronson Arroyo definitively.  Louis Coleman looked like the most likely non-roster invitee to make roster.  He could have taken the mid-inning relief pressure off of Storen and Wood.

Instead, the Reds have elected to go with starters Cody Reed and Robert Stephenson in the bullpen to go with lefty Wandy Peralta.  Iglesias may potentially start on the DL this season.  Then Austin Brice has a chance to join Barrett Astin in the pen as well.  One of these four will lose his spot when Arroyo is ready to start.

Next: Mesoraco will face a battle to re-earn starting role

The great thing here is that there are options.  There is a laundry list of almost ready prospects that aren’t even mentioned here.  Those players will be the back-ups as the Reds turn the corner back to competing.