Cincinnati Reds young relievers get ready to battle for bullpen spot

With recent signings the Cincinnati Reds have little room in bullpen for their prospects.

Last off-season the Cincinnati Reds had Drew Storen and Tony Cingrani in their bullpen.  Storen is a free agent and Cingrani is a Los Angeles Dodger.  The Reds signed a duo to replace them this off-season.

This off-season the Reds have signed relievers David Hernandez and Jared Hughes in free agency.  Hernandez is a veteran reliever with 105 career holds.  Hughes has 66 holds in his own right.

That likely just leaves one spot in the bullpen for a prospect.  There may be one spot for a starter and one for a reliever.  It is difficult to see the Reds keeping two young relievers on their roster to start the season.

The good news is that the Reds only have four prospects that are relievers on their forty man roster.  They have ten prospects that are starters by trade on their roster.  That should demonstrate how much more concern there is about the starting rotation in Cincinnati.

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The closing role is set with Raisel Iglesias.  There are now four set-up pitchers with Hughes and Hernandez joining holdovers Michael Lorenzen and Wandy Peralta.  That leaves only two spots in the bullpen open for the start of 2018.

The Cincinnati Reds have four prospects that want a spot in the 2018 bullpen.

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Kevin Shackelford made his long awaited MLB debut last season at age 28.  He spent his minor league career as a middle reliever.  That is the role that he filled successfully for the Reds in 2017.

Ariel Hernandez also made his MLB debut in 2017, but he was only 25.  Hernandez looks like a future closer.  He struck out 29 batters in 24 ⅓ MLB innings in 2017.

Austin Brice made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Miami Marlins.  When he came over in the Dan Straily deal, it appeared that he would be in Cincinnati all season long.  

Instead, he bounced back and forth between Cincinnati and the minors.

Zack Weiss hasn’t made his MLB debut yet.  The Reds added him to the forty man roster this off-season.  He still has some work to do, but wants to be considered for a spot on the big league team.

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Instead of last year’s situation, the Reds are in an enviable position.  They have a plethora of young relievers that all look ready to contribute, but they still have to earn their spots.  However, the Reds still have to select the most ready from among them.