3 Reds who don’t deserve to be on the 40-man roster

Jose Barrero, Shortstop

There's one reason that Jose Barrero is still on the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster; they haven't found a trade partner yet. The future for Barrero in Cincinnati looks eerily similar to what the fanbase saw from former first-round draft pick Nick Senzel.

While the circumstances are different, the story is still the same. Senzel came in as a highly-touted prospect, struggled to stay on the field, and eventually lost his starting job and was let go this offseason. Barrero was also a highly-regarded prospect, struggled to make contact at the major league level, and his starting job now belongs to Elly De La Cruz.

Not only did Barrero lose the starting shortstop spot to De La Cruz, but both Matt McLain and Noelvi Marte will get the nod at shortstop before Barrero is given another crack. Even top infield prospect Edwin Arroyo is likely to receive reps at spring training after receiving a non-roster invite. Barrero was optioned to Triple-A Louisville midway through the 2023 season and never returned.

The writing is on the wall, and has been for some time. While fans are free to argue about whether or not Jose Barrero received a legitimate chance to prove himself at the major league level, the fact remains that the Cincinnati Reds have already moved on. Barrero is out of minor-league options and it's only a matter of time before he loses his 40-man roster spot.