3 players who won't make the Reds Opening Day roster, but still have an impact in 2023

3. Brandon Williamson won't make the Reds Opening Day roster, but still have an impact in 2023.

The Cincinnati Reds 2023 starting rotation is almost set. Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene, and Graham Ashcraft are almost assuredly going to represent 60% of next year's rotation. The other two starting spots are up for grabs.

Players like Luis Cessa, Justin Dunn, and Connor Overton may have the inside track to such a role, and the recently signed Luke Weaver will be given an opportunity to lock down one of the starting spots as well.

However, the Reds have two young prospects (Brandon Williamson and Levi Stoudt) who will also be given a chance to secure spot on Cincinnati's Opening Day roster as well. Williamson has a few more Triple-A starts under his belt than the former Seattle Mariners farmhand.

Williamson was part of the Reds return for Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez last spring. Along with Williamson, the Redlegs also landed Dunn, outfielder Jake Fraley, and pitching prospect Connor Phillips. But Williamson was the centerpiece of that deal.

The left-hander struggled a bit with control last season in the minors, but still has the look of a potential backend rotation piece. A former teammate of Lodolo at Texas Christian University, Williamson took a step back in 2022, and will be looking to return to that 2021 form that saw him ranked as a borderline Top 100 prospect.

Brandon Williamson will face some tough competition this spring and will most likely be optioned to Triple-A Louisville. But a strong showing in the Derby City combined with struggles from any of the aforementioned pitchers could easily result in Williamson's promotion to The Show.