2 reasons Jose Barrero should be the Reds starting shortstop and 1 reason he shouldn't

The Reds need to figure out how to construct next year's roster.

Another reason why Jose Barrero needs to be given the chance to play shortstop every day for Cincinnati Reds is to help the front office figure out how to construct the roster heading into the offseason. The Reds have a lot of questions that need answering and Barrero's success or failure will have a big impact.

Will Barrero be the Reds starting shortstop in 2023? Should Kyle Farmer be retained beyond this season? Who's going to play third base next year? Should Matt McLain switch positions? The answer to all of these questions at the moment is the same; we don't know. That's why it's crucial to find out if Barrero has what it takes to be a productive major leaguer.

The Reds know what they have in Kyle Farmer. He's a dependable veteran who's under team-control through the 2024 season. Farmer, however, turns 32 years old later this month and while he's beloved in the clubhouse and by the fans, he's not suited to be the team's everyday shortstop. Can he play the position? Yes. But with a .692 OPS this season, the Reds have to see what else is out there.

Matt McLain is another piece of this puzzle. With Jose Barrero moving up to the bigs, don't be surprised to see McLain graduate to Triple-A by the end of the season. McLain could very easily compete to be the Reds starting shortstop next season if Barrero fails to impress over the final two months.

Or, if Barrero is everything the Reds hope that he is, then it's time to focus on getting McLain some reps at a position other than shortstop. Whether that's second base, third base, or the outfield is yet to be determined. But if McLain has the potential, much like Jonathan India last season, to break camp with the big league club, the Reds need to know where he'll line up defensively.