3 early reasons to be excited about the Reds 2022 season

3. The Reds incoming rookie class looks strong.

The reason we may hear names like Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray tossed about in trade rumors is due largely to the presence of young pitchers in the Reds farm system. Both Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene seemed primed for their major league debut.

Both Lodolo and Greene saw time in Triple-A this season, though Lodolo was somewhat limited by injuries. Greene posted 4.13 ERA in 14 starts after having not thrown in a professional game since 2018.

Greene's fastball is, in the words of Tucker Barnhart, "elite". He'll consistently hit triple-digits on the radar gun. Lodolo is a much more savvy hurler. The lefty uses a four-pitch mix and has phenomenal command.

While Greene and Lodolo will get the majority of the publicity, don't forget that Jose Barrero's rookie status is still intact.

After garnering some major league at-bats over the last two seasons, all signs point to Barrero being a regular in the Cincinnati lineup next season.

There are others like Dauri Moreta, Mark Kolozsvary, and possibly even Graham Ashcraft who could be key contributors for the Cincinnati Reds next season.

If next year's rookie class is anything like the one Reds fans saw in 2021, we're in for a treat. Jonathan India, Tyler Stephenson, and Vladimir Gutierrez showed they have what it takes to compete at the highest level. Perhaps some more young players will follow suit in 2022.