Cincinnati Reds positional preview vs. NL Central: left field

5. Jesse Winker, Cincinnati Reds

I almost feel bad writing this, because I don’t think Jesse Winker is a bad ball player. I think it speaks more to the talent that exists at the left field position in the National League Central. Winker has ended the past two seasons on the injured list, and until he can prove that he can remain heathy for an entire season, it’s hard to rank him higher than No. 5 in the division.

Again, I don’t think Winker is a bad player. In fact, if given the opportunity, I expect Winker to play up his potential and possibly lead the Reds in on-base percentage in 2020. Winker has a keen eye at the plate and showcased his power last season with a career-high 16 home runs. However, Winker did struggle against southpaw, going just 7-for-43 with no homers against lefties.

Jesse Winker catches a lot of flack from certain sections of the Reds fanbase, but I believe he’s due for a solid season at the dish. He’ll never be a Gold Glove defender in the outfield, and the possibility exists that Shogo Akiyama could land some starts over Winker in left field. Phillip Ervin is another option if Winker struggles as he did at the beginning of last season.

4. Tommy Edman, St. Louis Cardinals

Let me be clear, Tommy Edman could skyrocket up this list if he has another season like he did in 2019. There also lies the possibility that Edman will gain a better foothold at third base rather than left field, but that depends on how well Matt Carpenter plays. Edman is going to start almost every game for the Cardinals in 2020.

Edman had an outstanding rookie campaign in 2019, going 99-for-326 (.304) with 11 home runs and 36 RBIs. Edman was a versatile player on last year’s NL Champion St. Louis team, having started games at second and third base as well as the outfield. Again, Edman will find a spot on the everyday roster, and with Harrison Bader and Dexter Fowler, it’s likely to be in left field.