Cincinnati Reds: Three sleepers who could sneak onto the roster

3. Mark Payton, Outfielder

Of the three players mentioned, outfielder Mark Payton may have the best chance to crack the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day roster. Being a Rule 5 Draft pick, Payton would have to be placed on outright waivers and then be offered back to his previous team (Oakland A’s) before he’d have a chance to make it back to the Reds minor league roster.

Now, the Reds outfield is a bit crowded at the moment. In addition to newcomers Shogo Akiyama and Nick Castellanos, Cincinnati still has Phillip Ervin, Jesse Winker, Nick Senzel, Aristides Aquino, and, for some odd reason, Scott Schebler still on the 40-man roster.

Under the premise that Cincinnati will only carry five outfielders, one has to wonder how everyone fits, even with the roster expanded to 26 players. Curt Casali and Tucker Barnhart are sure to be the backstop tandem, along with a starting infield of Joey Votto, Mike Moustakas, Eugenio Suárez and Freddy Galvis. Go ahead and count Kyle Farmer among those likely to make the cut as well.

Those seven are virtually guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster along with Castellanos, Akiyama and Senzel. One would think that versatile utility player Josh VanMeter has a solid chance to make the roster out of camp as well. That brings the total number of position players to 11.

Jesse Winker seems like a likely candidate to break camp with the Reds as well, so barring an unforeseen injury or trade, that final roster spot will be a toss up between Payton, Aquino, Schebler and Ervin. On the surface, given that Aquino has a minor-league option remaining, Ervin or Payton would be the most likely to snag the final spot.

The Cincinnati Reds will have the better part of a month to figure out who’s leaving Arizona for the Queen City, and who’s heading to the minor leagues to begin the 2020 season. The Reds have a supremely talent-laden roster, something that fans couldn’t say for the past several years.