5 Reds who are dead weight and won't survive the month of June

If the Cincinnati Reds are truly trying to compete for the NL Central Division title, then it's time to trim some of the fat from the 40-man roster. Cincinnati is dealing with a lot of injuries at the moment, which is one of the biggest reasons why the roster is filled with a bunch of has-beens and also-rans. It's time, however, for the Reds to drop the dead weight and head into the month of June with a clean slate.

As the team moves into the summer months, some of the Reds top prospects will start pushing for a spot on the 40-man roster. When this inevitably happens, there's little need for Cincinnati to have under-performers taking up valuable spots. Which five Reds players have run aground and deserve to be cut from the team's 40-man roster?

5 Reds who are dead weight and won't survive the month of June

Yosver Zulueta, Reds pitcher

Yosver Zulueta's fielding miscue earlier this season forced the Reds' front office to send him back to the minors rather quickly. His performance at Triple-A Louisville, however, should necessitate his removal from the 40-man roster. In 16 appearances for the Louisville Bats, Zulueta owns a 6.88 ERA with a 16% walk rate. It's time to cut Zulueta and add one of Zach Maxwell or Joe La Sorsa to the roster.

Garrett Hampson, Reds utility player

Signing Garrett Hampson to a major-league deal felt like a mistake from the moment the ink was dry. He struggled with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and rather than sign him to a minor-league deal, Cincinnati offered up a major league contract. Without Noelvi Marte and Christian Encarnacion-Strand on the active roster, Hampson provides some necessary depth. Both players, however, should be back in the bigs sometime soon, meaning it's time to cut bait with the veteran utility player.

Jacob Hurtubise, Reds outfielder

Jacob Hurtubise's story is truly inspirational, but his play on the field does not justify a spot on the 40-man roster. Hurtubise broke camp with the Reds due to the numerous injuries Cincinnati endured at the start of the season, but has since yo-yo'd between the major and minor leagues. Hurtubise has a .350 on-base percentage at Triple-A, but his .120 batting average makes him unplayable.

Blake Dunn, Reds outfielder

It may surprise some Reds fans to see Blake Dunn's name on this list. After all, he was the Reds Minor League Player of the Year in 2023. Dunn, however, has struggled this season and owns a .140/.210/.211 slash line at Triple-A. More alarming is his 38.7% strikeout rate. Dunn's speed and defense are both above-average, but those two traits alone do not warrant a spot on the Reds 40-man roster.

Connor Joe, Reds utility player

At the very least, Connor Joe needs to be optioned to the minor leagues. The 32-year-old brings little more than defensive versatility to the Reds lineup, and a .216/.275/.270 slash line should be enough to prompt the Reds to let him go. Joe's reverse splits make his inclusion on the Reds roster even more indefensible, as he'll rarely be given playing time against right-handed pitching.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors