5 Reds players, not named Joey Votto, who might not be back in 2024

5. Reds infielder Jose Barrero might not be back in 2024.

Jose Barrero will be an interesting name to watch during the offseason. Barrero has yet to find consistent success at the big league level, but the former top prospect clobbered Triple-A pitching this past season.

Barrero broke camp with the Cincinnati Reds and was the team's Opening Day shortstop. His time a the position did not last long, and by the middle of the season, the Reds optioned Barrero back to the minors.

The talent that Barrero possesses is off the charts. He has the prototypical speed, arm, glove, and power that every team is looking for in a starting shortstop. The problem, however, has been an inability to consistently hit major league pitching.

Now, I'll argue to the cows come home that Barrero hasn't received a fair shake at actually playing the position full-time. The Reds suffered through a lot strikeouts and poor at-bats from Elly De La Cruz this past season and never once was the rookie phenom sent back to Triple-A.

That's not to suggest the Reds should have made such a drastic move this season. But in his rookie campaign, De La Cruz received 423 plate appearances. In his first three major league seasons with the Reds, Barrero has 447 plate appearances, oftentimes with very sporadic playing time.

The point is, there's still a lot to like about Jose Barrero, but it's hard to see where he fits on the Cincinnati Reds roster in 2024. A rebuilding team like the Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, or Los Angeles Angels might be interested in trading for a player like Barrero, who's still just 25 years old.