Biggest surprise on Reds Opening Day roster (not named Spencer Steer)

The storylines throughout Cincinnati Reds camp focused on how the team would arrange the puzzle pieces after Spencer Steer went down with a shoulder injury. Steer was positioned to be a key member of the starting lineup, manning first base and providing depth at the corner outfield spots as needed.

His injury had ripple effects in both the infield and outfield battles, so the fact that he avoided the IL and will be on the Reds’ Opening Day roster was welcome news that upended expectations. Still, Steer isn’t the most shocking member of the Day One squad.

Even as recently as this week, the final outfield spot seemed like a battle between Stuart Fairchild, Blake Dunn, and Jacob Hurtubise. Conventional wisdom and roster predictions favored Austin Hays, Jake Fraley, and TJ Friedl with Fairchild in reserve and Gavin Lux filling a utility role. Ultimately, Fairchild became the odd man out and Dunn and Hurtubise both landed on the 26-man roster.

The surprise inclusion of Jacob Hurtubise on the Reds Opening Day roster is a testament to hard work and grit

Dunn shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. The slugger was once ranked by MLB Pipeline and Baseball America as one of the Reds’ top prospects. He battled injuries and has a home run or bust approach at the plate, but his spring performance, in which he reduced his strikeout rate and had a .412 batting average on balls in play, was encouraging.

Hurtubise is the real shocker here and could be an underdog story worth celebrating in 2025. Signed as an undrafted free agent, he brings a set of skills that cannot be found elsewhere on the Reds’ roster. Hurtubise is a small-ball type of player. He puts the ball in play with soft contact and hustles. In short, he’s a Terry Francona kind of guy.

Hurtubise is unlikely to have many superstar moments or curtain calls, but Francona is sending a clear message with this roster pick. If the Reds players do the small things well, the rewards will come. Hurtubise, a West Point grad who is beloved by his teammates, is representative of this approach, and if he can succeed with this opportunity, maybe the underdog Reds can as well.

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