3 ways the Reds could boost attendance in 2023 without breaking the bank

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The 2022 Cincinnati Reds nearly set the franchise record for futility. David Bell's squad lost 100 games, and according to general manager, the Cincinnati faithful should prepare themselves for more of the same in 2023.

Next season, however, will be less about restocking the farm system and more about developing the club's young talent. While baseball is a sport that we all love, it is also a business, and business isn't good right now.

The 1,395,770 fans that passed through the gates at Great American Ball Park was the lowest number in the stadium's history and the fewest fans to attend games in Cincinnati since 1984. Penny-pinching Bob Castellini is not going to like the return on his investment.

If next season is about developing younger players, don't expect the Cincinnati Reds to go out and sign Aaron Judge or swing a trade for Shohei Ohtani. However, there are some routes the team could take that would probably excite the fanbase enough to boost the attendance for the 2023 without breaking the bank.

1. Insert Elly De La Cruz as the Reds Opening Day starting shortstop.

The biggest star in the Cincinnati Reds farm system is Elly De La Cruz. The shortstop has five-tool potential and, in all likelihood, will be part of major league camp this coming spring. But, would the Reds really skip De La Cruz past Triple-A and insert him as the team's starting shortstop on Opening Day next season? If they want to fill up Great American Ball Park, they will.

This isn't suggesting that Cincinnati should make this move nor is it an endorsement for De La Cruz to be the Reds Opening Day shortstop. But if the club wants to put butts in the seats, one of the easiest ways to do so would be to have the franchise's most electric prospect on the field from the start of the 2023 season.

This past season at High-A Dayton and Double-A Chattanooga, De La Cruz hit .304/.359/.586 with 28 round trippers and 86 runs batted in. De La Cruz also has blazing speed and stole 48 bases in 2022 as well.

The Cincinnati Reds already moved Kyle Farmer to third base, and Jose Barrero fell well short of expectations during his extended audition at the end of last season. Inserting Elly De La Cruz into the starting lineup from the start would help bolster the team's attendance heading into the 2023 season.

2. Re-sign former Reds players Tucker Barnhart and Adam Duvall.

There are a lot of holes on the Cincinnati Reds roster, but the two most obvious are in the outfield and behind the plate. The Reds outfield was manned by little more than platoon players throughout the entire 2022 season, and once Tyler Stephenson went down with injury, the team was forced to give five different catchers an opportunity to don the tools of ignorance.

The Reds fanbase always longs for the good ole days and hold a special place in their hearts for former players. It just so happens that two players from the Reds' past will be free agents during the offseason. If Cincinnati wanted to boost attendance heading into next season, signing Tucker Barnhart and Adam Duvall would be a good place to start.

The Reds need a veteran backup to Tyler Stephenson. After watching Stephenson hit the IL multiple times in 2022, it's become apparent that suitable backup in necessary. While Barnhart's offensive production was down in 2022, the two-time Gold Glove Award-winner has always been lauded for his defense.

Duvall's 2022 season ended abruptly after a wrist injury required surgery in late-July. Duvall has always played above-average defense and has plenty of power from the right side. The Reds could partner Duvall with the left-handed bats of TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley to form a solid platoon in left field.

With no viable outfielder or catcher coming up through the Cincinnati Reds farm system, the front office will need to look to free agency in order to fill those needs. If attendance is on the minds of the Reds' brass this winter, signing Tucker Barnhart and Adam Duvall could help drum up some fan support for next year's team.

3. Reds should explore the idea of signing Johnny Cueto in free agency.

While signing former Reds players like Adam Duvall and Tucker Barnhart might not make much of a difference in the win-loss column, former Cincinnati ace Johnny Cueto actually could. There were whispers prior to the 2022 season that the Cincinnati Reds were actually interested in bringing Cueto back to the Queen City.

Cueto ended up signing a one-year agreement with the Chicago White Sox and the two-time All-Star turned back the clock. Cueto is not the same player he was during his prime, but the right-hander showed that he can still compete at the highest level. Cueto was 8-10 with a 3.35 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 25 games last season.

Cueto was the Reds ace prior to be traded during the 2015 season. The 15-year veteran spent eight years in Cincinnati and posted a 92-63 win-loss record and 3.21 ERA while also finishing in the Top 5 for the NL Cy Young Award on two occasions.

The Cincinnati Reds have three of their five spot in next year's starting rotation spoken for. Graham Ashcraft, Hunter Greene, and Nick Lodolo figure to be part of the Reds rotation next season. The Reds also have Luis Cessa, Connor Overton, Brandon Williamson, and Justin Dunn likely competing to take the ball every fifth day as well.

But the Reds would be wise to add a veteran starter like Johnny Cueto to help mentor the young pitcher and eat up innings next season. It's a similar line of thinking to what Cincinnati tried to do with Mike Minor this past season, but Cueto is a much better option, and it shouldn't break the bank in order to bring him back to the Reds clubhouse.

Next. 3 free agents the Reds should re-sign in 2023. dark

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