4 Reds players who are untouchable and 2 who should be traded before Opening Day

These Reds players are untouchable

Reds infielder Matt McLain is off limits

If Elly De La Cruz has the highest ceiling of any player on the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster, then Matt McLain has the highest floor. McLain is solid across the board; he hits for power, hits for average, plays above-average defense, and has above-average speed.

If there's something not to like about McLain's game, it hasn't shown up yet. The former UCLA Bruin is proficient at both second base and shortstop, though he's arguably a Gold Glove-caliber player if he makes the keystone his permanent home.

Both De La Cruz and Noelvi Marte have the ability to put up the best stat line year-in and year-out, but McLain's consistency is unmatched. While some of the younger players could have more volatile and unpredictable seasons ahead, McLain's approach is unchanged and it makes him untouchable.

Reds starter Nick Lodolo should be untouchable

This is a name that many Reds fans seem to have forgotten. Nick Lodolo was Cincinnati's best starting pitcher in 2022, and injuries robbed him of duplicating that success in 2023. But it appears that Lodolo is 100-percent healthy ahead of the 2024 season.

If that's the case, then Reds fans are in for big surprise. While so much is expected of Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and newly signed free agent Frankie Montas, Lodolo possesses the best pitch mix of any hurler in the Reds' clubhouse.

After seeing the astronomical prices for starting pitching this offseason, if all systems are go for Lodolo in 2024, Cincinnati should lock up the lefty for the long haul. Lodolo should be untouchable.