Dane Myers is quietly creating a roster dilemma Reds fans didn’t expect

Dane Myers was originally thought to be one-half of the Cincinnati Reds' low-cost solution to a high-impact problem. By platooning the right-handed hitting Myers with the left-handed hitting JJ Bleday, the Reds thought they could get a productive combination in left field, adding much-needed firepower to the lineup.

When Cincinnati signed Eugenio Suarez, things changed. Suarez is a true power bat, not a dice roll, but his arrival also did something else. It put Spencer Steer into a utility role. With Suarez holding down DH, and rookie Sal Stewart getting the lion's share of the playing time at first base, Steer is now slated to play a lot more outfield. As another right-handed bat, that spelled trouble for Myers.

His best shot at sticking with the big club seemed to be as a fifth outfielder. Then spring training happened. Myers has been an on-base machine down in Arizona. His 34.3% walk rate is stunning, even for a small sample, and leads the league. He's walked 11 times against just three strikeouts over 32 plate appearances. He's also hitting the snot out of the baseball with a .286 ISO.

It has changed the way some think of Myers and could have him projected for a big role on the Reds' roster. It could also spell bad news for a young player who was poised for a big role in Noelvi Marte.

Dane Myers big spring is a good problem for the Reds

Myers spring training performance has been insane, but you can only derive so much meaning from these stats. The samples are small, the pitchers are still ramping up, and the competition isn't always MLB quality. Still, they tell us something. They also reinforce the other ways in which Myers brings value.

The 30-year-old has been southpaw kryptonite throughout his career, owning a .297/.360/.456 line when he has the platoon advantage. In 2025, he hit .286/.359/.419 against lefties. That's not all, though. He's also a really good defender at all three outfield spots, especially in center.

Marte is still learning how to play the outfield, and while he's made some highlight reel plays, he's had some blunders this spring that prove that he's not quite there yet. He also hasn't shown much growth at the plate.

The 24-year-old has clubbed three homers and slugged .600, but the power was never the question. Instead, it's the plate discipline that's the problem. He walked just 4.4% of the time last season, and at a 3.7% clip in 2024. This spring, the base on balls are down to 2.9% for him.

At the bare minimum, Myers is the better bet to give lefties fits and play solid defense. In most cases, you'd rather give the playing time to the youngster, but the Reds want to compete, and that only happens by playing the best players as things stand today.

The really interesting development is how many questions the Reds have had about their offense at the start of the offseason, and now they have more quality hitters than they have roster spots. Fans shouldn't complain or claim depth is a bad thing. On the contrary, this dilemma is a pleasant one.