3 unheralded Reds farmhands who could make the 2023 Opening Day roster

2. Unheralded farmhand Alex McGarry could make the Reds 2023 Opening Day roster.

Alex McGarry had an interesting ascent through the Cincinnati Reds farm system in 2022. The 24-year-old made stops at High-A Dayton, Double-A Chattanooga, and Triple-A Louisville last season while slashing .264/.316/.543.

McGarry posted a wRC+ of 124 according to FanGraphs while mashing 27 home runs. Of McGarry's 110 hits, 36 went for extra bases. That's certanly going to get you noticed. McGarry, while he wasn't added to the Reds 40-man roster, did receive a non-roster invite to spring training.

But McGarry, like so many young hitters in the Reds minor league system, struggles with strikeouts. McGarry had 136 Ks in 2022 and posted a strikeout-rate of 30.3%. Furthermore, McGarry doesn't balance out that obscene number with a fair amount of walks. The Oregon State alum posted a walk-rate of just 6.2%.

But, McGarry happens to play a position that could be of great need for the Cincinnati Reds - at least to begin the 2023 season. McGarry can play both corner outfield spot as well as first base. With Joey Votto recovering from shoulder surgery, if the former MVP is unable to go, McGarry's left-handed bat could find its way onto the Opening Day roster.

Alex McGarry will need a strong showing in Goodyear in order to gain the attention of the Reds coaching staff. If McGarry fails to land a spot on the 26-man roster, he'll likely begin the year at Triple-A Louisville, where he's just a 90-minute drive from the Queen City.