Reds: 3 internal replacements should Nick Castellanos opt out of his deal

2. Tyler Naquin could replace Nick Castellanos as the Reds right fielder.

If you asked right now, which current Cincinnati Reds is most likely to replace Nick Castellanos in right field next year, my answer would be Tyler Naquin. Naquin was signed to a minor league deal prior spring training, and set some pretty impressive career milestones.

Naquin produced career-highs in games played (127), hits (111), runs scored (52), home runs (19), and RBIs (70). This was the version of Tyler Naquin that Cleveland Indians were so encouraged by in 2016 when the then-25-year-old placed third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting.

The Reds could do a lot worse than Tyler Naquin as the team’s starting right fielder in 2022. Naquin fielded 21 games in right field in 2021, including 15 starts. Most of those came when Nick Castellanos was on the IL with a wrist injury. Naquin has a 179 total games in right field under his belt and a .994 fielding percentage.

Naquin does not have quite the arm as Castellanos, but it’s better than average, and he’s totaled 16 outfield assists while playing right field over his six years in the major leagues. Naquin played all three outfield spots for Cincinnati this season.

Tyler Naquin will be due a raise through arbitration this winter. The 30-year-old took home $1.5M this past season. Naquin’s biggest struggle would likely come against left-handed pitchers. The slugger finished the 2021 season with a .197/.300/.267 slash line versus southpaws.