Cincinnati Reds: Adding Nicholas Castellanos does not necessitate a trade

The Cincinnati Reds are the frontrunners to sign Nicholas Castellanos. But, adding the outfielder doesn’t necessarily mean a trade is on the horizon.

The Cincinnati Reds are rumored to be the frontrunners for Nicholas Castellanos. Currently, the Reds outfield is stacked with players who’ll be battling for playing time. If Castellanos is added to the mix, a trade becomes more likely, but not necessary. Cincinnati has options beyond trading away some of their talented outfielders.

If Castellanos joins the Reds, playing time will be at a premium. Cincinnati already signed Shogo Akiyama to a three-year/$21M contract earlier this offseason. One can bet that Akiyama will be a regular in the Reds lineup, likely hitting at or near the top of the batting order.

But that’s not all. Nick Senzel, Jesse Winker, Phillip Ervin, Aristides Aquino and Travis Jankowski are all on the 40-man roster as well. While the odds of Scott Schebler making the squad are very slim, he, along with Rule 5 Draftee Mark Payton will also be in spring camp with an eye towards making the Opening Day roster.

The Reds outfield is overcrowded already. If Cincinnati is fortunate enough to add Nicholas Castellanos, a trade becomes necessary, right? I wouldn’t go that far. While the chances of Cincinnati trading away one or more of their outfielders becomes more likely if Castellanos joins the team, it’s not a surefire bet. Let’s explore some options.