Cincinnati Reds: Three prospects who might be traded

3. Is there a spot in the Reds rotation for Tony Santillan?

You always hate to give up on a pitcher, especially one with the talent of Tony Santillan. But, there’s a chance that a few other players have passed Santillan by. The right-hander did not make the type of progress that Cincinnati’s front office had hoped for last season and some of the other Reds hurlers may be better positioned for a spot in next year’s rotation.

Trevor Bauer is a free agent this winter and will likely command a huge salary that I cannot envision the Reds matching. Anthony DeSclafani is also a free agent this offseason. While likely to ask for a more amenable salary, the Reds have a ton of young pitching talent and may be quite content to allow both Bauer and Disco to test the free agent market.

If both right-handers exit during the offseason, what might the 2021 Cincinnati Reds starting rotation look like? Obviously Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray will still be on the roster, and one would think that Tyler Mahle has the inside track for one of the vacancies. Wade Miley is under contract for one more season as well.

That leaves at least one more spot in the starting rotation up for grabs. With Tejay Antone making a positive impression on the Cincinnati coaching staff, you have to figure that he’ll be in the mix for the team’s fifth starter. Last year’s No. 7 overall pick Nick Lodolo will likely be competing for that spot as well.

Unless the Reds are looking to transition Tony Santillan to the bullpen, which is a possibility, it may be difficult to find a spot in the starting rotation for the 23-year-old. Santillan is a power-pitcher, the type that many scouts drool over. He may be on the trade block if the right offer comes around.