Cincinnati Reds positional preview vs. NL Central: shortstop

The Cincinnati Reds had one of the best defensive shortstops in the division last season. How does Freddy Galvis stack up against other shortstops in the NL Central?

While fans eagerly await an announcement from commissioner Rob Manfred as to when the start to the 2020 season will be, Blog Red Machine has been taking a look at how each Cincinnati Reds starter projects against the other starters in the National League Central Division. Today we look at how Freddy Galvis stacks up against the other shortstops in the NL Central.

The Cincinnati Reds haven’t seen an All-Star shortstop since Zack Cozart‘s 2017 season. Before that, you’d have to go all the way back to Felipe Lopez in 2005. Barry Larkin was 12-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner. However, Larkin’s 1996 Gold Glove was the last time a player wearing a Reds uniform took home that piece of hardware while manning shortstop.

To say that shortstop has been a revolving door since Larkin left in 2004 would be an understatement. We’ve seen Cozart, José Iglesias, Orlando Cabrera and others try to snag a regular role as the Reds starting shortstop, but none of them has had much staying power. Cozart spent seven years in Cincinnati, but spent more time on the injured list than the field.

The Chicago Cubs employ one of the best shortstops in the game. The Pittsburgh Pirates lay claim to one of the best up-and-coming shortstops in the National League, while St. Louis’ shortstop has seen a drop in production the past two seasons. Which shortstop ranks No. 1 among his peers in the NL Central?