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?

1. Alex Blandino, Infielder

Alex Blandino didn’t see any time at the major league level until September. The former first-round pick reached just 36 at-bats during his 23 games with the Cincinnati Reds last season, but .250 with a .420 on-base percentage. Blandino is one of the Reds best options to back up shortstop Freddy Galvis, and the injury to Eugenio Suárez only strengthens his case to be on the team.

It’s a bit unfair to judge Blandino’s success or lack their of too harshly. After a collision at second base during the 2018 season, Blandino was shelved for the remainder of the season and part of last season following surgery to repair torn ligaments in his knee. Blandino played 70 games for Triple-A Louisville last season slashing .247/.386/.375 with 13 doubles and 24 RBIs.

Blandino will never be mistaken for a power hitter. Throughout his minor league career, Blandino never hit more than 12 home runs. During his 2017 season, split between Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville Blandino owned a .456 slugging percentage, the highest of his professional career.

Blandino has two minor-league options remaining, so if he fails to make the Opening Day roster, Cincinnati will not lose him to free agency. With the status of Suárez up in the air, and Kyle Farmer the only other option to back up Freddy Galvis, Blandino has a real shot to make the Reds roster out of Goodyear. But, he’ll have to tone down his strikeout-rate which is 27.9% for his career.

2. Mark Payton, Outfielder

A lot of fans are focused on the Reds outfield, and rightfully so. Cincinnati has a plethora of talented players who will be tasked with taking reps on the outfield grass. Barring a trade, Jesse Winker, Nick Senzel, Shogo Akiyama, Phillip Ervin and Nick Castellanos will make the team. Aristides Aquino has a minor-league option remaining, something that can’t be said for Mark Payton.

Payton was picked up by Cincinnati in the Rule 5 Draft. The Reds plucked Payton off the Oakland Athletics’ roster, one year after the A’s snagged the outfielder from the New York Yankees. Payton hasn’t played a lick in the big leagues, topping out at Triple-A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre while playing for the Yankees organization. Payton played 110 games for Triple-A Las Vegas last season.

Mark Payton has power. For his career in the minors, the 28-year-old has a .455 slugging percentage, 62 home runs and 280 RBIs. Last season, Payton slashed a phenomenal .334/.400/.653 with a 17% strikeout-rate according to FanGraphs. Payton was 14th in the entire Pacific Coast League in 2019 with 30 round trippers.

Payton has an uphill climb to make the Opening Day roster, especially with the additions of Castellanos and Akiyama. However, Senzel’s health to begin the season is still a question mark and Payton has the versatility to play all over the outfield grass. A solid showing during spring training could vault Payton onto the 26-man roster.

3. José De León, Right-handed pitcher

This was one of my favorite pick ups of the offseason. José De León played just three games during last season following recovery from Tommy John surgery that cost De León the entire 2018 season. If De León is able to maintain his health, the right-hander could be a key contributor in Cincinnati’s pursuit of the NL Central title.

De León was drafted back in 2013 by the Los Angeles Dodgers. De León took his lumps during Rookie Ball in both the Arizona and Pioneer Leagues, pithing to the tune of a 6.96 ERA in 14 games. However, the Puerto Rico native turned things around in 2014 with a combined ERA of 2.22 while playing for the Ogden Raptors and Great Lakes Loons.

De León was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017 and accelerated quickly through the minor leagues. A 3.05 ERA though 10 games found De León on the Rays roster where he put up 10.13 ERA as a 24-year-old. After recovering from Tommy John surgery, the right-hander put up great number in the minors and was able to get back onto the field during August of last season.

José De León was a Top 10 prospect within the Dodgers organization in 2014 and made it to No. 3 in LA’s farm system by 2015 according to MLB Pipeline. No longer expected to be a starting pitcher, De León still possess an above-average slider and changeup. A three-pitch right-hander out of the bullpen could be a very necessary piece with the three-batter minimum set for 2020.

4. Travis Jankowski, Outfielder

Travis Jankowski is an interesting case heading into spring training. Never a highly-touted prospect, Jankowski possesses something sorely lacking on this year’s Cincinnati Reds team – speed. After dismissing Billy Hamilton and José Peraza over the past two winters, there’s not much speed on the Reds roster. Jankowski could change that.

Offensively, Jankowski doesn’t bring much to the table. A career .241 hitter, Jankowski only slashed .182/.250/.182. That makes the numbers that Hamilton put up seem like All-Star level stuff. However, just like Hamilton, Jankowski will be far more valuable as a defender than at the dish.

The problem for Jankowski is, the Reds also brought in another versatile outfielder with speed this offseason in Shogo Akiyama. Though 31-years old, Akiyama has stolen 12 or bases over the past six seasons while playing for the Seibu Lions of the NPB League in Japan. Like Jankowski, Akiyama can also play all three outfield positions.

Heading into camp. Jankowski feels like more of an insurance policy than a player looking to break through onto the Opening Day roster. The 28-year-old will have his work cut out for him in order to make the team. However, without an elite-level defender in the outfield, having a player like Jankowski able to take over in the outfield late in games could be perfect for that final spot on the roster.