Cincinnati Reds are stacked at second base with young players

Between starter Scooter Gennett, newcomer Dilson Herrera and prospect Shed Long, the Cincinnati Reds have more second basemen than they know what to do with.

A few short years ago, the Cincinnati Reds didn’t appear to have a successor to the now departed Brandon Phillips.  The Reds were letting him play out an expensive deal without much to back him up.  Now the Reds are loaded with more options than playing time to hand out.

The best surprise for the Reds at the position is Shed Long.  Recently, MLB Pipeline named Long the sixth best second base prospect in the minors.  This for a player that the Reds drafted as a catcher and just joined the forty man roster this year.

Last year Long played 104 games across two levels of the Reds’ system batting .281 with 16 home runs.  He started out in Single-A, but finished the season in Double-A Pensacola.  Long was drafted out of high school in 2013 and is on pace to be in Cincinnati in 2019.

Want your voice heard? Join the Blog Red Machine team!

Write for us!

As a catcher, Long’s left-handed bat was attractive, but at 5′ 8″ he was shorter than most backstops.  In a pinch the Reds could give Long a shot this year, but there is a depth in Cincinnati already.  Not only are Scooter Gennett and Dilson Herrera present, but last year’ starter, Jose Peraza is on the roster, too.

The presence of Scooter Gennett and Dilson Herrera will delay the Cincinnati Reds debut of Shed Long.

More from Reds News

• Reds vs. White Sox: Pitching preview, prediction, and more
• Reds: Reiver Sanmartin adds another twist to offseason roster construction
• Reds: Signing Tyler Mahle to a contract extension should be a top priority
• Reds: Reiver Sanmartin should get first major league start vs Pirates
• Reds should unquestionably bring Wade Miley back in 2022

Gennett came off of the waiver wires to have a great year for the Reds.  He had one of the best single game offensive outputs in the history of major league history.  He also solidified a position when Peraza couldn’t hit consistently enough to keep the job.

On June 6, Gennett hit four home runs in one game.  It was just the 17th time in major league history that a player did that.  The Reds’ fans loved it all the more because he did it against the hated Saint Louis Cardinals.

Herrera is in the opposite position from Gennett.

Even though he made his MLB debut with the New York Mets, he hasn’t made his Reds debut, yet.  He came over in the deal that originally sent Jay Bruce to New York.  Once considered one of the Reds’ top ten prospects, Herrera’s injuries have cost him his spot on the top 30 list.

Next: Reds have great minor league defenders

The Reds have three outstanding options at second base.  Gennett and Herrera will share the role in Cincinnati in 2018.  As soon as 2019, though, they may need to make space for the sixth best second base prospect in all of baseball.