Cincinnati Reds: 3 players who were strangely left off 40-man roster

TJ Friedl was left off Reds roster for the second straight season.

Much like Alfredo Rodriguez, TJ Friedl was left exposed to the Rule 5 Draft for the second straight season. I can’t imagine that would’ve been the case had we seen minor league baseball in 2020. But, perhaps Friedl will survive the Rule 5 Draft once again and remain with the Cincinnati Reds organization heading into 2021.

I’m a big fan of TJ Friedl, as he seems to be a player who gets the most out of his talent. He reminds me a lot of Ryan Freel; a player whose intangibles cannot be measured. Friedl ranks just below Alfredo Rodriguez according to MLB Pipeline, coming in at No. 20 among the team’s top-rated prospects.

An injury-plagued 2019 season limited the outfielder to just 65 games in 2019. Friedl is not going to overwhelm scouts with impressive power, but his speed has helped him swipe 66 bags in four minor league seasons. Friedl isn’t a starter by any means, but every good team needs a fourth outfielder, and the 25-year-old fits the bill.

TJ Friedl also offers a left-handed bat, and given David Bell’s penchant for playing the matchup, you’d think adding Friedl to the mix would be a no-brainer. That said, Mark Payton’s presence on the roster gives Bell a similar player with power.

A few other notable players left off the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster were Debby Santana and Miguel Hernandez. All of these players mentioned are still part of the Reds organization, but any of them could be easily plucked off the roster during next month’s Rule 5 Draft.