3 Reds players suddenly on thin ice after Rece Hinds DFA

The Cincinnati Reds made a flurry of roster moves over the weekend, but the one that stood out was designating Rece Hinds for assignment. The Reds' slugger was DFA'd to make room for catcher P.J. Higgins, who'll be taking over as Tyler Stephenson's backup after Jose Trevino was placed on the 10-day IL with a hamstring injury.

Though Hinds was a former second-round pick and has light-tower power, his inability to lay off pitches outside the strike zone and a career 42% strikeout rate made it difficult to justify keeping him on the 40-man roster. His Reds' career comes to a close with a .172/.221/.426 slash line and seven home runs over 51 major-league games.

But Hinds might not be the Reds' only roster casualty. Cincinnati is marred in a slump and is just one game above .500 heading into play on Monday. With so many obvious holes on the roster, it's possible that the front office will make even more moves in the coming days, and that could come at the expense of some well known players within the organization.

Outfielder Will Benson could be the next Reds player DFA'd

If the Reds are willing to give up on Hinds, there's little reason to believe they won't do the same with Will Benson. The former Cleveland Guardians' farmhand has received a longer leash than most, but much like Hinds, strikeouts remain a huge concern for Benson.

Benson's defensive versatility allows him to play all three outfield spots, and he's even found his way into the leadoff spot several times over the past week. But he's hitting just .176/.322/.311 with an 80 wRC+ in 38 games this season.

With JJ Bleday breaking out and Hector Rodriguez waiting in the wings, Benson's time in the Queen City may be quickly coming to a close. TJ Friedl's early-season slump has helped to preserve his spot on the roster for the moment, but if Benson fails to turn things around quickly, he'll likely follow Hinds out the door.

Reds relievers Luis Mey and Kyle Nicolas are on thin ice

The Reds bullpen was one of the best in the league begin the season, but since the calendar flipped to May, they've become the worst unit in baseball. Cincinnati has been shuttling relievers back and forth between I-71 for the past couple of weeks, but it may be time to bring in some new blood from outside the organization.

If the Reds need to clear some roster space, both Luis Mey and Kyle Nicolas could quickly follow Hinds onto the unemployment line. Mey was a big reason why the Reds lost Saturday's game against the Guardians and was quickly sent back to the minor leagues. Nicolas is currently part of the Louisville Bats' bullpen, and continues to walk batters at an untenable rate.

Both Mey and Nicolas are high-velocity hurlers who struggle with command. Mey's made 29 relief appearances in his career and has 17.6% walk rate. Nicolas has walked 13 batters in seven games with the Reds this season, and has an equal number of walks and strikeouts in 10 minor league appearances. Neither pitcher seems likely to end the season on the 40-man roster.

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