Reds: 3 players who won’t make the Opening Day roster but will contribute

Aristides Aquino, Reds outfielder

Strange as it may sound, Aristides Aquino may not have a place on the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day roster. The Punisher hasn’t been overwhelming dominant this spring at the plate, and despite Shogo Akiyama’s absence from the lineup, Aquino is not a lock to make the 26-man roster out of Goodyear.

Aquino burst onto the scene in August of 2019. Though he’s shown flashes of power and a skilled defensive pedigree, The Punisher has not found any consistency at the dish. I’m of the belief that Aquino needs to be in the lineup daily in order to find his groove, but he’s not going to get that in a crowded Reds outfield.

Even with Akiyama out of the lineup, Cincinnati has Jesse Winker (LF), Nick Senzel (CF), and Nick Castellanos (RF) ready to take the field on April 1st versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Scott Heineman has outplayed Aquino this spring, and Tyler Naquin is out of minor league options. Both players could supplant Aquino on the Opening Day roster.

That’s not to say that The Punisher won’t have an impact in 2021. Again, I view Aristides Aquino as a starting outfielder, not a bench bat. While Heineman and Naquin provide the ability to play all three outfield positions, neither is likely to find any regular time in the Cincinnati outfield.

Winker and Senzel have not proven that they can stay healthy for a full season, so Aquino should be standing by. If an injury befalls any of the Reds’ starting outfielders, Aquino should instantly become the team’s replacement. Aquino has out-of-this-world power, but he still struggles to hit the off-speed pitch. Some more seasoning in Triple-A is needed.