2 Reds players who will breakout in 2023 and 1 who will continue to struggle

Reds outfielder Nick Senzel will continue to struggle in 2023.

Everyone throughout Reds Country should hope that this prediction is incorrect, but until Nick Senzel proves that he's capable of competing at the highest level, it's hard to forecast anything more than a medicore 2023 season for the former first-round draft pick.

Fans can sit back and debate, until the cows come home, about how poorly the Cincinnati Reds front office and coaching staff have handled Senzel's development. Yes, a career-infielder probably never should have been moved to center field (a position he'd never played in college or in the professional ranks until 2019).

But at some point, Senzel has to prove that he can handle the rigors of being a professional baseball player at the major league level. Last season, despite playing in a career-high 110 games, Senzel struggled mightily at the plate.

Coming out of the University of Tennessee, Senzel was being compared to Houston Astros' third baseman Alex Bregman. For his career, Senzel has hit just .240/.303/.360 and has a career-OPS+ of only 73.

This might be Nick Senzel's last chance with the Cincinnati Reds. He'll face competition for playing time this spring from TJ Friedl and Stuart Fairchild. If David Bell chooses to utilize Senzel as a super utility player who could play in the outfield and on the infield dirt, that may be the best use of the 27-year-old's skillset.