1 Reds player on the major league roster who must start 2023 in the minor leagues

The Cincinnati Reds will have a great deal of roster decisions in the coming months. Several players will be removed from the 40-man roster and there'll be a lot of additions as well.

With the exception of Allan Cerda, who began the 2022 season at High-A Dayton, every player who was added to the Reds 40-man roster got to see time in the major league last season.

But just because you're on the 40-man major league roster does not make you a major leaguer. Which Cincinnati Reds player, currently on the roster, needs to start the 2023 season in the minor leagues?

Reds SS Jose Barrero must start the 2023 season in the minor leagues.

There's no sugarcoating it, Jose Barrero was given his first real opportunity to play shortstop at the major league level and the former top prospect fell woefully short of the lofty expectations. The Cincinnati Reds moved Kyle Farmer to third base shortly after the trade deadline, and gave Barrero every chance to the starting shortstop away from the veteran.

The much-hyped infielder struggled at Triple-A Louisville after being named the Reds Minor League Player of the Year in 2021. Barrero hit just .209/.262/.377 in 55 games with the Louisville Bats this season. Despite those struggles, the Reds made the decision to call Barrero back up to the big leagues.

But the jump in competition did nothing but see Barrero's numbers continue to tumble. In 48 games with the Reds last season, Barrero slashed just .152/.195/.206 and posted a 43.7% strikeout-rate. Barrero's lack of production even forced David Bell to reduce the shortstop's playing time over the final couple weeks of the 2022 season.

Don't think for one second that the wrist surgery that Barrero underwent prior to the 2022 season didn't affect him in some way, shape, or form. That said, regardless of injury, a player cannot perform that poorly and keep his job.

The Cincinnati Reds have no choice but to send Jose Barrero to Triple-A to begin next season. The only way that changes is if the infielder shows up in Goodyear and absolutely looks like a different player. But if his knowledge of the strike zone and lack of production is still apparent during spring training, the Reds have enough depth at the position to find a different Opening Day shortstop.