3 early reasons to be excited about the Reds 2022 season

The 2021 season didn't end how Reds Country had hoped. Their team was in the playoff hunt until the final week of the season only to see the St. Louis Cardinals claim the final Wild Card spot. But hey, at least they only lasted one game, right?

The Cincinnati Reds front office will have some very difficult decisions to make in the coming weeks and months. Will Tucker Barnhart and Wade Miley have their club-options picked up? Will Nick Castellanos return? What does the offseason budget look like?

In order to answer some of those questions, we'll have to wait until after the World Series. But there are some bright spots, regardless of what transpires this winter, that should excite the fanbase as the offseason is set to begin.

1. The Reds have a good, young core of players.

While players like Joey Votto, Sonny Gray, Mike Moustakas, Wade Miley, and Shogo Akiyama are on the wrong side of 30, the Cincinnati Reds allowed some of their young up-and-comers to take the field in 2021. And guess what? They had success.

Jonathan India is likely to be the first Reds position player since Chris Sabo in 1988 to take home NL Rookie of the Year honors. India was a breath of fresh air and a key piece of last year's high-scoring offense. David Bell should already have his leadoff hitter and second baseman penciled in for 2022.

Tyler Stephenson will likely become the everyday catcher for the Reds in 2022. Regardless of whether or not Tucker Barnhart returns to Cincinnati, Stephenson will get the lion's share of starts behind the dish next season.

Jose Barrero got a taste of the major leagues again in 2021 after making his debut during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. It'll be interesting to see if the Barrero in center field experiment continues or if the 23-year-old supplants Kyle Farmer at shortstop next season.

Some young pitchers made their debut in 2021 as well. Reiver Sanmartin, Vladimir Gutierrez, and Tony Santillan all look to be important pieces of the Cincinnati pitching staff heading into 2022.

There's also rookie hurlers Dauri Moreta, Riley O'Brien, and Ryan Hendrix who could all important parts of the Reds' bullpen next season.

The Cincinnati Reds will undoubtedly have to rely on the likes of Votto, Jesse Winker, Luis Castillo, and Tyler Mahle in 2022, but having a good young core is important. Not just for next season, but for the next several years as well.

2. All five Reds starters could return in 2022.

The Cincinnati Reds had one of the better starting rotations in the National League. The team ranked 7th in ERA (4.03). That was despite Luis Castillo having a horrendous start to the season and three rookies finding their way into the rotation.

In addition to Vladimir Gutierrez, who emerged as the Reds No. 5 starter midway through the season, both Tony Santillan and Reiver Sanmartin showed promise in their limited number of starts.

Castillo and Tyler Mahle will each be due a raise. The duo is entering their second year of arbitration eligibility and both are projected to take home over $5M per MLB Trade Rumors.

Cincinnati also has Sonny Gray under contract for a little less than $11M next season. Gray's name emerged in trade rumors last offseason and it wouldn't be surprising to see the front office shop Gray again this winter.

Gray's 2021 season was marred by numerous trips to the injures list, but the right-hander still enjoyed a solid campaign posting a 27.0% strikeout-rate and 10.31 K/9. However, Gray's 4.19 ERA was his highest since joining the Reds.

Wade Miley had a terrific year on the hill. Having a pitched a no-hitter and being one of the more reliable arms in the Cincinnati rotation, all signs point to the Reds front office picking up Miley's $10M option.

Provided their are no trades, the 2022 Cincinnati Reds rotation might look very similar to the one we saw in 2021. Reds starters ranked 1st in innings pitched and 4th in strikeouts but also gave up the most walks in the NL.