Cincinnati Reds: Five players fighting for a roster spot during spring training

The Cincinnati Reds are about to open camp in Goodyear, Arizona. While much of the roster is set, a few spots remain up for grabs.

The Cincinnati Reds will begin spring training in a few short days. While much of the 26-man roster is set, a few spots still remain unclaimed. With the influx of talent added over the past few months, several players have little-to-no margin for error. Let’s look at five players who’ll be fighting tooth and nail to claim one of the final spots on the 2020 Opening Day roster.

The Reds made some key additions this offseason with a focus on a run at the National League Central Division title in 2020. Nick Castellanos, Shogo Akiyama, Wade Miley and Mike Moustakas will all have a spot on the roster locked up. After all, Bob Castellini and the Reds front office invested $164M on those four players alone.

Adding two outfielders like Castellanos and Akiyama has certainly raised some eyebrows. Nick Senzel, Jesse Winker and Aristides Aquino were the presumptive starters heading into the winter, but all three players could find their playing time reduced with the additions of the Reds free agent signings.

Josh VanMeter seemed to have a spot on the 2020 squad, but adding Moustakas as the team’s second baseman puts the 24-year-old’s roster spot in question. Kyle Farmer appears the player in the driver’s seat in terms of a utility infielder, and the likelihood of VanMeter find time in the outfield will be drastically reduced by the presence of Castellanos and Akiyama.

So, how might some of the most coveted positions shake out? The additional roster spot will undoubtedly help at least one player in his quest to make the Opening Day roster, but several question marks still remain. Which five players will be in a dog fight to make the 26-man roster?