Cincinnati Reds: Scott Schebler has an uphill climb to make the roster

Out of minor-league options, outfielder Scott Schebler has a chance to make the Cincinnati Reds roster out of camp, but it won’t be easy.

Surprisingly, there’s still a lot of roster questions surrounding the Cincinnati Reds as they prepare for the 2020 season, despite having made some significant signings this offseason. One of the biggest questions has to be the outfield rotation and who the three starters will be on Opening Day. Does Scott Schebler really have a chance to make the 26-man roster?

There is no doubt that free agent signings Nick Castellanos and Shogo Akiyama will have regular spots in the outfield. It’s also pretty much a given that Nick Senzel will be getting his fair share of time there as well now that his service time is no longer a concern. That still leaves quite a few outfielders who could fill out the bench.

Schebler was met with a lot of controversy and criticism last season when, after making a great showing in spring training, he was given the job of the everyday centerfielder over Senzel to start the season. After the team left Goodyear, the entire Cincinnati offense had an unbelievable slump to begin the season and Schebler eventually wound up in Triple-A by the early part of May.

Needless to say, Reds fans were less than thrilled with Schebler’s performance. The left-handed slugger hit just .123 in 30 games with the Reds in 2019. It was a surprise to fans when, just a few weeks ago, pitcher Sal Romano was designated for assignment over Schebler to make room for Pedro Strop on the 40-man roster.

Now that we’re gearing up for the 2020 season, Schebler’s future seems very much up in the air. The 29-year-old is out of minor-league options, so if he doesn’t make the team, he can’t be sent down to Triple-A like he was following last season’s struggles. Schebler would have to be placed on waivers and could then be claimed by another team.

It’s going to be heavy competition through spring training to see who earns those coveted spots on the bench. While I do think David Bell and the other coaches will be fair, I also think it is unlikely that Schebler will break camp with the team this year. Schebler spoke with Mark Sheldon of MLB.com regarding the competition for a spot on this year’s Reds roster:

"“It’s part of the gig. I signed up for it when I got into pro ball. If you shy away from competition, you’re not meant to be here. I will just go and compete and be a good teammate at the same time.”"

To earn a spot on the 26-man roster Scott Schebler would have to jump the likes of Jesse Winker, Aristides Aquino and Phillip Ervin, and probably Josh VanMeter and Derek Dietrich as well. That’s a tall task for someone coming off shoulder surgery who had a very disappointing performance in 2019.

In fact, I think it’s very likely that Schebler is placed on waivers and ends up playing for another team. However, if he would happen to clear waivers he could then outrighted to Triple-A Louisville, Schebler could at the very least provide organizational depth in the outfield. Schebler is a career .240 batter and is known to have the occasional power surge in his bat.

Spring training is not always the most reliable measure of a player’s ability and value to a team, but Bell has surprised us with some unexpected roster decisions in the past. Still, I think it’s incredibly unlikely that Schebler begins his 2020 season with the Reds.