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3 Reds who should be in the starting lineup every day for the remainder of the 2022 season

By Drew Koch |
Cincinnati Reds left fielder TJ Friedl (29).
Cincinnati Reds left fielder TJ Friedl (29). / Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
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The focus in Cincinnati has shifted from the present to the future. In a few short days, rosters will expand from 26 to 28 and the Cincinnati Reds will be able to add a couple players to the team's active roster.

While adding Brandon Williamson and Spencer Steer to the roster would be a treat, the recent track record of transactions does not offer Reds fans a lot of hope. However, there are plenty of players who are currently on the roster that should receive a great deal of playing time heading into the final month do the season.

With the 2022 campaign coming to close, which three players currently on the Cincinnati Reds roster should be in the starting lineup every day for the remainder of season?

1. Reds catcher Chuckie Robinson should be in the lineup every day.

Tyler Stephenson is out for the remainder of the 2022 season and Aramis Garcia is currently on the 60-day IL with a finger injury. It's questionable as to whether or not Garcia will return to the team over the final few weeks.

The Reds current catching tandem features Austin Romine and Chuckie Robinson. The veteran Romine should yield to the rookie Robinson over the last few weeks fo the 2022 in order for the Reds to see if the 27-year-old has the makings of a major league catcher.

Romine is 33 years old and a true journeyman catcher. The backstop has been on the field for six different big league clubs throughout his 11 years in the league. While he's a fine catcher, we all know who Romine is and he's very unlikely to return in 2023.

Chuckie Robinson, on the other hand, is a bit of a mystery. A former 21st-round draft selection in 2016, Robinson has not produced much at the dish, but his playing time has been very minimal.

None of the group of Robinson, Garcia, Michael Papierski, Mark Kolozsvary have elevated themselves to be considered Stephenson's backup in 2023. It'd be wise to see if Robinson can handle that role before heading into the offseason with no clear picture of who the team's backup will be next season.

2. Reds outfielder TJ Friedl should be in the lineup every day.

TJ Friedl has made a believer out of a good portion of the Reds fanbase with his stellar play over the last couple of weeks. Since returning from his demotion to Triple-A Louisville, Friedl has been firing on all cylinders and would seem to have a shot at being a regular in the Cincinnati Reds lineup next season.

The Reds outfield situation is murky at best. The team appears ready to move Nick Senzel all over the diamond in 2023. Molding Senzel into a super utility role is exact direction Cincinnati should be going in, as the 27-year-old has had a difficult time adjusting to be the team's everyday centerfielder.

Aristides Aquino, whether fans like it or not, will probably survive the non-tender deadline and be part of the Reds roster during spring training. There's also Jake Fraley, Stuart Fairchild, and Albert Almora Jr., all of whom are likely to be heading to Goodyear next spring with undefined roles.

TJ Friedl, however, could supplant Senzel as Cincinnati's centerfielder if the University of Nevada product is able to gain regular playing time over the final month of the 2022 season. Friedl has completely changed his approach at the plate, and the adjustment is paying dividends.

No matter where he lines up, Friedl should be on David Bell's lineup card consistently during the month of September. The Pennsylvania native has also hit well against left-handers following his return from Triple-A. It's safe to say that Friedl has probably secured a spot on the offseason roster, but now he'll be in the mix to be part of the Reds Opening Day lineup next season.

3. Reds shortstop Jose Barrero should be in the lineup every day.

The Cincinnati Reds are not playing for the postseason during the month of September, so giving Jose Barrero as many at-bats as possible over the final few weeks of the season is crucial to his development.

Yes, Barrero has struck out and struck out a lot. Why? That's a great question. But while it can be frustrating to watch as a fan, you have to imagine that the 24-year-old is just as frustrated at himself. According to FanGraphs, Barrero is going down on strikes almost once every two at-bats.

Last season in the minor leagues, Barrero's strikeout-rate was sitting just around 22%, which isn't bad at all for a player who was slugging .539 and had 49 extra-base hits in 85 games. But after returning from surgery to repair a hamate fracture this past spring, Barrero seems like a shell of himself. At Triple-A Louisville, Barrero hit just .209 with a wRC+ of only 66.

Whether the surgery has caused the downturn in production or not is not for us to say, but a player with a near 50% strikeout-rate is not going to remain in the big leagues for very long. Barrero needs to be in the everyday lineup over the last several weeks to see if the highly-touted shortstop can return to form.

Jose Barrero will have to focus on retooling his approach during the offseason. With Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz breathing down his neck, Barrero will not be given a very long leash heading into next season. Barrero needs a solid showing during the month of September to solidify his spot as the starting shortstop heading into 2023.

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