4 former Reds who are turning shocking spring success into Opening Day hope

With less than two weeks remaining until the start of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, executives and coaches are hard at work whittling down their rosters ahead of Opening Day. The Cincinnati Reds have several roster battles that are coming down to the wire, and many other organizations are facing similar dilemmas.

Reds fans are very much invested in this year's team, but the Cincinnati faithful can't help but keep their eye out for the successes (or failures) of former players. There's at least four former Reds whose spring surge may unexpectedly vault them onto an Opening Day roster this season.

Santiago Espinal has impressed Dodgers manager Dave Roberts

The Reds parted ways with utility infielder Santiago Espinal this past offseason but he was able to secure a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that included an invite to spring training. Espinal has done nothing but impress since arriving at Camelback Ranch, and he's all but punched his ticket to be part of the Dodgers Opening Day roster.

Espinal hit just .243 with a .575 OPS in 114 games for the Reds last season. Though his first 10 Cactus League games with the Dodgers, however, Espinal owns a .478/.500/.826 slash line and has a pair of homers. LA's infield is somewhat hobbled to begin the season, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has all but said Espinal will break camp with the big league club.

Two ex-Reds could land on the Angels Opening Day roster

There are two former Reds in camp with the other LA-based team this spring. Both Jeimer Candelario and Hunter Strickland received minor-league deals from the Los Angeles Angels that included a trip out to Tempe. Candelario — who's still being paid by the Reds this season — has been raking so far this spring.

Candelario's made nearly 35 plate appearances in Cactus League play and is hitting .267/.353/.567 with four doubles, a triple, and home run. If he'd have produced those numbers while playing in Cincinnati, he'd probably still be on the Reds roster. Given the Angels' lack of talent, he's almost assured of a spot on LA's Opening Day roster.

Strickland might have a harder time securing an Opening Day roster spot, but he's done nothing to hurt his chances so far this spring. The 37-year-old has logged three innings of work, allowed just two hits, and hasn't allowed a runner to dent the plate. Veteran relievers with closer experience are highly sought-after, and with Robert Stephenson's status up in the air, Strickland may well receive another chance to start a season in the big leagues.

Georgia native Kyle Farmer could make the Braves Opening Day roster

Kyle Farmer had a down-year with the Colorado Rockies in 2025. A long-time fan-favorite in the city of Cincinnati, Farmer hit just .227 with a .645 OPS despite playing half his games in the hitter friendly confines of Coors Field.

But Farmer's found his swing once again, and after receiving a minor-league deal from the Atlanta Braves, the veteran infielder owns a .429/.455/.619 slash line through eight Grapefruit League games. The Braves just lost Jurickson Profar to a 162-game suspension for PED use, and with Ha-Seong Kim on the IL to start the season, Farmer has a great chance to make his boyhood dreams of playing for his hometown team come true.