Cincinnati Reds outfield feels unsettled as rumors persist

The Cincinnati Reds have an abundance of outfielders on the 40-man roster, yet, aside from Shogo Akiyama, no player seems assured of a spot.

The Cincinnati Reds have been rumored to be pursuit of several free agent outfielders this winter. Marcell Ozuna, Nicholas Castellanos, and Corey Dickerson have all been rumored to be on the Reds radar this offseason. Cincinnati signed Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama to a three-year deal, but rumors of other additions still persist, making the outfield appear unsettled.

Last year’s competition for a spot on the Opening Day roster will be tame compared to what’s likely to happen during spring training this year. The Reds have several talented players capable of making the 26-man roster, but there’s limited space.

Akiyama will be part of Cincinnati’s outfield. Write that down in permanent marker. Where he plays defensively may still be a question mark, but the 31-year-old is likely to have a regular spot atop the batting order and should be counted on as an everyday player.

As far as the remainder of the outfield, all bets are off. It was reported earlier this week that Ozuna was offered a multi-year deal by Cincinnati, but turned it down and signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves. This would seem to indicate that the Reds are still interested in adding to their outfield.

Adding Ozuna would’ve surely spelled the end for one, if not two of the Reds outfielders currently on thee roster, right? Players like Jesse Winker, Phillip Ervin, and perhaps even Aristides Aquino may have found themselves on the trade block had Ozuna signed with Cincinnati.

There’s also the topic of Nicholas Castellanos, who’s still rumored to be on Cincinnati’s wishlist. Castellanos is a big bat who could hit in the middle of the Reds batting order. As would’ve been the case with Ozuna, signing Castellanos would certainly merit a trade of at least one outfielder.

Something that could change the entire outlook of the Reds outfield would be a return to the infield dirt for last year’s rookie centerfielder Nick Senzel. Recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Senzel played his entire professional career in the infield prior to finding a home in center field last season.

With a less than ideal situation at shortstop, some fans and pundits have pondered the idea of seeing Senzel replace Freddy Galvis as the team’s starting shortstop. That sounds like an idea worth exploring, but no word has come down from Cincinnati’s front office about a potential position change for the 24-year-old.

One thing is for sure, the Cincinnati Reds outfield as currently constructed appears very crowded. Beyond those who saw significant playing time in 2019, the Reds also have Travis Jankowski, Scott Schebler, and Rule 5 draftee Mark Payton.

David Bell will have the tough task of evaluating all the outfield talent on his roster, and then whittling that number down to about five or six players. If Nicholas Castellanos finds a home in Cincinnati, the roster is likely to undergo a major shift. If no further additions are made, the competition for a spot on the Opening Day roster will still be very competitive.