Cincinnati Reds: 3 outfielders most likely to be traded this offseason

Which Reds outfielder is most likely to be dealt this winter?

The Cincinnati Reds have a good problem on their hands once again. As the team heads into the offseason, it would appear that Cincinnati has one of the deepest outfields in the league. Last season, the universal DH helped David Bell to more adequately divvy up playing time, but as of now, the designated hitter will not be an option in the National League.

We’ve seen the Reds, thankfully, move on from Travis Jankowski and Scott Schebler, but Cincinnati still has several players capable of playing on the outfield grass. Nick Castellanos decided that he would return for a second season in the Queen City and will take home $14M next season with the possibility of opting out next winter.

I think it’s safe to say that Castellanos will be on the Reds Opening Day roster in 2021. The same goes for Shogo Akiyama. During his rookie season, Akiyama struggled out of the gate, but found his stride over the last few weeks of the pandemic-shortened season. Akiyama was also a finalist for a Gold Glove and will be part of the Reds outfield in some capacity next season.

As for the other outfielders on Cincinnati’s roster, their future with the ball club is still unknown. The Reds have made an abundance of trades over the past few seasons and using one of the team’s talented outfielders could help Nick Krall replenish the farm system. Let’s take a look at the three outfielders who are most likely to be playing elsewhere in 2021.

2. Aristides Aquino will not find consistent at-bats with the Reds.

If I had suggested that the Cincinnati Reds might trade Aristides Aquino last offseason, people would’ve thought I was crazy. What a difference a year makes, huh? The Punisher put up -0.1 WAR and 65 OPS+ after wreaking havoc on opposing pitchers last season. An inconsistent lineup card may have been Aquino’s undoing last season.

I, like a lot of Reds fans, wish that David Bell would settle on a consistent lineup. However, we saw this season that two teams that rely heavily on analytics (Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays) found their way to the World Series. Still, it looks as though Aquino has the makeup of a player that needs consistent at-bats.

He’s not going to find that in Cincinnati’s crowded outfield. The Punisher started just 14 games and was yo-yo’d between the Reds alternate site and the big leagues. Aquino finished the 2020 hitting just .170 with two home runs over 23 games. One could make the argument, that following last season’s offensive outburst, Cincinnati should have dealt Aquino.

Aristides Aquino has the makings of a boom-or-bust type player, and perhaps the Cincinnati Reds should look to deal him before his value disappears. Aquino is out of minor-league options next season and if the Reds don’t want to expose Aquino to waivers, he’ll have to stay at the major league level for the entire season.

3. Constant injuries may keep the Reds from trading Nick Senzel.

Given the way Cincinnati’s outfield is currently constructed, dealing Nick Senzel might make the most sense. After all, Shogo Akiyama can handle center field and should be in the lineup nearly every day. The Reds then have a plethora of options to platoon in left field while Nick Castellanos could anchor right. The problem is, Cincinnati may not be able to get much value for Senzel.

This situation looks eerily similar to that of Aristides Aquino, but for different reasons. While Aquino may be on the block due to his poor offensive performance, Senzel may find his way onto the trade block because of his inability to stay on the field. That said, any inquiring team would never give the Reds proper value for Senzel’s services.

Nick Senzel is a former first-rounder, and while loaded with potential, the 25 year-old played only 104 games during his rookie season and was limited to just 23 games during last year’s 60-game season. Senzel suffered through injuries at the minor league level as well, and there’s been no rhyme or reason to it.

Senzel was moved from third base to the Reds outfield in 2019 and played admirably for his first time leaving the infield dirt. A move back to the infield seems unlikely, though there is an opening at shortstop. However, the Cincinnati coaching staff has invested a lot of time into helping Senzel become a proficient outfielder.

In the end, I find it highly unlikely that Nick Senzel will be dealt. While he has a favorable contract situation for a team looking to rebuild, few teams would give up high-level prospects in return for a player who has yet to prove he can stay healthy.