Cardinals' roster move forces Reds to confront one of their biggest failures

The Cincinnati Reds are scheduled to begin a four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday at Great American Ball Park. As fate would have it, the Reds will see one of their biggest failures in recent memory take the field for the Cardinals. According to MLB reporter Francys Romero, St. Louis is expected to activate former Reds prospect Jose Barrero prior to Monday's game in Cincinnati.

The Cardinals signed Barrero to a minor-league contract during the offseason, but a .227/.292/.432 slash line in 24 spring training games wasn't enough to warrant inclusion on St. Louis' Opening Day roster. Barrero was outrighted to Triple-A Memphis to begin the 2025 season where he's since hit .301/.396/.530 with four home runs, 13 RBI, and a 150 wRC+.

The Cards plan to option Thomas Saggase to Triple-A in order to active Barrero on Monday. Saggase, 23, has had a fine start to the 2025 season (.341/.364/.512), so it's perplexing to see St. Louis make such an odd roster decision. While Reds fans may this as the ultimate troll move by the Cardinals, adding Barrero gives St. Louis more depth at shortstop and center field, while also providing Saggese more playing time in the minors with Maysn Winn back on the active roster.

Cardinals recalling Jose Barrero will force Reds to confront one of their biggest failures

There's no way to sugarcoat this—Barrero was an absolute bust! A former top prospect in the Reds farm system, Barrero was called up briefly during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Cincinnati was out of the playoff hunt at the time, and the Reds wanted to offer increased playing time to one of the top youngsters. But an unexpected late-season surge allowed Cincy to make a playoff push, which in turn forced Barrero into a reserve role.

Barrero began the next season in the minor leagues and absolutely tore up the competition—very similar to what Cardinals' fans are seeing him do this year. Barrero hit .303/.380/.539 between Double-A and Triple-A in 2021 while mashing 19 homers. He received a late-season call-up, but hit a meager .200/.286/.320 in 21 games.

But it was Barrero's 2022 season, one that was slowed by injury, that torpedoed his Reds' career. After being anointed as the shortstop of the future, Barrero landed on the IL with a wrist injury to begin the year and did not return to the Cincinnati lineup until August. The Reds shoved fan-favorite Kyle Farmer to third base in an effort to get Barrero more playing time. But in 174 plate appearances, Barrero managed to hit just .152/.195/.206 while striking out over 43% of the time.

Barrero flip-flopped between shortstop and center field for 46 games in 2023 and was designated for assignment prior to the 2024 season. The Texas Rangers picked Barrero up, but an outfield collision while playing in the minor leagues ended the former top prospect's 2024 campaign prematurely.

Aside from former first-round pick Nick Senzel, Barrero represents one of the biggest busts of the last decade for the Reds' organization. Barrero is now scheduled to be in the opposing dugout for the upcoming series against the Cardinals, and Reds fans are hoping to see his big-league struggles continue over the next four games.

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