Cincinnati Reds: Who is most likely to have their jersey retired next?

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CINCINNATI, OH – JUNE 26: Former Cincinnati Reds great Pete Rose (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the most storied histories in all of baseball. Who’ll be the next player to have their jersey retired?

Perhaps the greatest dynasty in baseball history, The Big Red Machine, ruled the diamond in the 1970s. Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan and Davey Concepcion have all been honored for their efforts during that time by having their jersey numbers retired. Who’ll be the next Cincinnati Reds great to receive that distinction?

Rose, Bench, Perez, Morgan and Concepcion are not the only Reds Hall of Famers to have their jersey numbers hanging high above the field at Great American Ball Park. Barry Larkin, Ted Kluszewski, Frank Robinson, Fred Hutchinson and manager Sparky Anderson all had the privilege of their jersey being retired by the Reds franchise as well.

Being inducted into Cooperstown is not a prerequisite for finding one’s jersey number side-by-side with Morgan and Perez. Of the 10 numbers retired by the Cincinnati Reds, four (Rose, Concepcion, Kluszewski and Hutchinson) have yet to receive the call to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Of course we can’t forget Jackie Robinson’s No. 42, which hangs above the field at every major league ballpark throughout North America. But which Reds great will be the next to find their number high above home plate at GABP? Let’s look at the most likely candidates to be immortalized alongside Bench, Larkin and others.

CINCINNATI – OCTOBER 1961: Vada Pinson #28 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images) /

Vada Pinson, No. 28

Vada Pinson may be the best Reds player, aside from Pete Rose, not to have been elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Pinson was one of the greatest defensive centerfielders of his generation, though he has just one Gold Glove to show for it. Pinson once roamed the same outfield as Hall of Famers Frank Robinson, who had his No. 20 retired by the Cincinnati Reds.

Pinson was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 1977 after spending 11 years in the Queen City. Pinson earned a roster spot on the Reds roster in 1958 at the age of 19. The following two seasons, Pinson was a regular in the Cincinnati outfield and went to back-to-back All-Star Games and was also an outlier in the MVP conversation.

Only once during Vada Pinson’s tenure with the ball club did the Reds reach the World Series. In 1961, Cincinnati won the pennant and faced the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. After leading the league in hits that season with 208, Pinson went just 2-for-22 and the Cincinnati Reds fell to the Yankees in five games.

Vada Pinson would go on to play for four other teams throughout his 18-year career. Despite 2,757 career hits, 485 career doubles and career-fielding percentage of .981, Pinson would never receive greater than 15.7% of the vote while on the Hall of Fame ballot. Tragically, if Pinson’s No. 28 was retired, it would be done posthumously, as the former Reds great passed away in 1995.

CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 23: Bronson Arroyo #61 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

Bronson Arroyo, No. 61

Has there been a more beloved pitcher over the past two decades of Reds baseball than Bronson Arroyo? While one’s standing among the fans is not enough to find your jersey hanging alongside the greatest players in Reds history, Arroyo did a lot on the field as well. Perhaps more than anything, Arroyo was a catalyst to giving the Reds fanbase hope for a return to glory.

After winning a World Series Championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2004, Arroyo was sent to Cincinnati in exchange for Wily Mo Pena during spring training of 2006. Arroyo went on to lead the league in innings pitched (240.2) and went to his first All-Star Game. Arroyo also pitched his first career shutout that season and ended 2006 with a record of 14-11 and a 3.29 ERA.

Arroyo signed a contract extension with the Reds the following spring. The agreement would keep the right-hander in the Queen City through 2010. A model of consistency during those next four years, Arroyo went 56-49 with a 4.17 ERA and averaged 212 innings pitched per season. Arroyo was a workhorse; a player that you knew was going to go out each and every day and give it his all.

Bronson Arroyo was a key piece of the Reds rotation that led Cincinnati to the postseason in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Arroyo left via free agency in 2014, but returned to the Reds for one last hurrah in 2017. After Tommy John surgery and a variety of injures had kept Arroyo off a major league diamond since June of 2014, Arroyo returned to Cincinnati and pitched in 14 games in 2017.

SAN DIEGO, CA – CIRCA 1988: Jose Rijo of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images) /

José Rijo, No. 27

Already inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame, perhaps it’s time for José Rijo to see his No. 27 hanging above the field at Great American Ball Park. While his career is marred by injuries and the thoughts of what could have been, Rijo may have been the single greatest performer in the 1990 World Series, taking home MVP honors after winning two games in the four-game sweep.

Rijo had an absolutely stellar career for the Reds. hIn exchange for aging slugger Dave Parker, the right-hander was traded from the Oakland Athletics to Cincinnati. Once he arrived in the Queen City, Rijo went right to work. The Dominican native went 13-8 with a 2.39 ERA in his first year with the Reds, and that was just the beginning.

From 1988 to 1994, Rijo went 87-53 with a 2.63 ERA over 1,315 innings of work. During that time, Rijo recorded 17 complete games and four shutouts. He struck out 1,139 batters, averaging 163 punch outs per season. Rijo made one All-Star appearance during that time, though he should have gone to more, and finished in the Top 5 of the Cy Young race twice.

By today’s standards, which rely more heavily on analytics, José Rijo would’ve run away with the Cy Young in 1993. Per Baseball Reference, Rijo had the most wins above replacement (9.2) of any pitcher in the National League. Greg Maddux, who won 20 games that season, finished with 5.8 WAR. Rijo also had 30 more strikeouts (227) that Maddux (197) that year.

CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 10: Brandon Phillips #4 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Brandon Phillips, No. 4

Will fans ever see a more charismatic individual ever grace the infield of Great American Ball Park? Brandon Phillips had “it”. Perhaps the greatest Reds second baseman aside from Joe Morgan, Phillips was fantastic with the glove, solid with the bat and beloved by Reds Country. Will Phillips’ No. 4 be the next number to be adorned above home plate?

The Reds pulled off one of the greatest trades in recent history when Cincinnati sent pitcher Jeff Stevens to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Phillips. Dat Dude would go on to win a Sliver Slugger (2011), four Gold Gloves and appear on three National League All-Star teams. Phillips also brought a necessary attitude to a Reds team that began to compete after years of futility.

After the 1995 run to the NLCS, little happened around Reds Country. Cincinnati came close to a playoff berth in 1999, but aside from that, the Reds were typically finishing in third place or worse in the division. Phillips, along with the aforementioned Bronson Arroyo, helped usher in a new era in Reds baseball. Much like Arroyo, Phillips was key to the team’s success in 2010-2013.

Brandon Phillips ended his Cincinnati Reds career after the 2016 season. Phillips was shipped to his hometown Atlanta Braves in exchange for two minor-league pitchers. Phillips massive salary was unnecessary for the rebuilding Reds. Dat Dude, however, will always be remembered fondly in Reds Country for his skilled glove, fun-loving personality and genuine smile.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 08: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Joey Votto, No. 19

This one may be all but academic. Joey Votto, among all those listed, is by far the most likely player to have his jersey number retired by the Cincinnati Reds. While the last two seasons haven’t produced the numbers we’re used to seeing from Votto, the Toronto native is a surefire choice to be named to the Reds Hall of Fame and may find his way to Cooperstown as well.

Votto has been maligned by a certain group of fans recently, mainly due to the fact that his performance does not match his salary. While that may be true, I would counter to those fans by saying that his salary in 2010 ($525K) definitely didn’t match the performance that landed Votto the National League MVP trophy that year.

It’s tough to judge Votto’s career, mainly because he’s still playing. Entering his age 36 season, Votto certainly doesn’t posses the power he once did, but the former NL MVP is still an incredibly valuable piece of the Cincinnati team that is looking to compete for a spot in the postseason once the 2020 baseball season gets underway.

Next. Reds Top 5 all-time MVP winning seasons

Joey Votto is an all-time great. He’s currently fifth all-time in team history in WAR, and may surpass Frank Robinson in that category this season. Throughout the 150 years of Cincinnati Reds baseball, Votto is currently first in on-base percentage, second in walks and OPS, third in doubles, fourth in home runs and eighth in hit and RBIs. Votto’s No. 19 will eventually be hanging above the fans at GABP.

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