5 Reds players who won't survive the MLB trade deadline

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Well, it's almost here. The Major League Baseball trade deadline is fast approaching, and the Cincinnati Reds appear to be buyers rather than sellers.

After falling behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the chase for first place in the National League Central, it's apparent that the Reds may need some extra pieces in order to make a run at the playoffs.

But despite the fact that Cincinnati will be buyers, a few prospects and some players on the team's 40-man roster may find themselves playing elsewhere after August 1st. Which five Cincinnati Reds players will not survive the trade deadline.

1. Reds pitcher Alan Busenitz will not survive the MLB trade deadline.

Honestly, it feels like a minor miracle that Alan Busenitz has last as long as he has. Though currently pitching down on the farm, Busenitz is part of the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster. But those 40-man roster spots are valuable, and Busenitz may lose his if the Reds look to make some additions at the MLB trade deadline.

Busenitz has outlasted Ricky Karcher and Silvino Bracho, but the August 1st trade deadline may be the end of the line for the right-hander. Busenitz provided depth for the Reds bullpen, but the 32-year-old has not shown much effectiveness when he's made an appearance.

Alan Busenitz has pitched in four games and owns a 4.50 ERA and three punch outs in four innings of work. Designating Busenitz for assignment would allow the Cincinnati Reds to clear a roster spot and attempt to outright the former Minnesota Twins reliever if he passes through waivers.

The Reds are looking to add Justin Dunn, Tejay Antone, Vladimir Gutierrez, and Casey Legumina back to the active roster in the coming weeks. If the trade deadline isn't Busenitz's undoing, the return of those pitchers will be.

2. Reds outfielder Michael Siani will not survive the MLB trade deadline.

Like Alan Busenitz, Michael Siani is occupying a 40-man roster spot but is currently playing at Triple-A Louisville. If it becomes necessary for the Cincinnati Reds to clear an additional spot on the roster, Siani could be on the way out.

Siani is a glove-first outfield prospect who's just never found a way to put it all together. The former fourth-round pick has the type of speed that would match Matt McLain, but he has struggled with the bat in his hands.

Siani had a cup of coffee with the Reds in 2022, but has spent the 2023 season at Triple-A Louisville. While he has an on-base percentage above .350, Siani has little-to-no power. After posting a .400-plus slugging percentage at Double-A last season, that number has sat around .360 this season.

Michael Siani, who has minor league options remaining, could be a potential trade chip over the next two weeks. While no team is going to target Siani, the left-handed hitting speedster could sweeten a potential deal that could land Cincinnati a starting pitcher.

With players like Andrew Abbott and Christian Encarnacion-Strand already jumping ahead of their timeline, a player like Siani will be left in the dust. Don't be shocked if the 22-year-old loses his roster spot before August 1st.

3. Reds prospect Yerlin Confidan will not survive the MLB trade deadline.

If the Cincinnati Reds truly intend to pick up some pitching at this year's deadline, it's going to cost them. And while a number of fans want to dream about just parting ways with Nick Senzel or Kevin Newman, those aren't the type of players that bring back a solid return.

A promising young outfield prospect, however, could get the job done. Many Reds fans probably haven't heard about Yerlin Confidan, but the 20-year-old is very highly thought of within the organization.

That said, the Reds will have a decision to make this winter. After signing with the Reds as teenager, Confidan will need to be added to the team's 40-man roster in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft this December.

Confidan has yet to develop into the player that Reds scouts assumed he would, and is still at Low-A Daytona. The raw tools are there and Confidan has plus, plus-power. But there's a hole in his swing, and the budding prospect could end up following the same path of Aristides Aquino and Jose Barrero.

It's a bit risky on the Reds behalf to trade such a young talent like Yerlin Confidan, but that's the type of sacrifice that the Cincinnati Reds will have to make in order to add a decent starting pitcher or controllable reliever at the MLB trade deadline.

4. Reds shortstop Jose Barrero will not survive the MLB trade deadline.

Speaking of Jose Barrero, this feels like the end of the line for the former top prospect. Barrero is currently in Triple-A, and believe it or not, has been playing rather well. But with Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain now on the major league roster, there's no room left for Barrero within the organization.

The Reds tried almost everything. And while many fans didn't like the club's approach when it came to Barrero's development, at the end of the day, the shortstop was given multiple opportunities to excel and consistently fell short.

Despite his struggles last year, Barrero was handed the starting shortstop job in August when the Reds made the decision to move Kyle Farmer to third base. Barrero flopped and Farmer even got the job back before the end of the year.

Barrero then came into spring training as the unquestioned Opening Day shortstop. While the Reds traded for Kevin Newman, the job was Barrero's to lose. It took about month of Matt McLain hitting the cover off the ball at Triple-A and Jose Barrero swinging at balls in the dirt for the Reds to realize it was time to move on.

If there's one position that the Reds have an abundance of talent, it's shortstop. After drafting Sammy Stafura and trading for Edwin Arroyo and Noelvi Marte, the Cincinnati Reds are set. Barrero's 40-man roster spot is certainly in jeopardy and both and the Reds need a fresh start. Look for Barrero to have a new address after August 1st.

5. Reds prospect Joe Boyle will not survive the MLB trade deadline.

As was mentioned earlier with a prospect like Yerlin Confidan, if the Cincinnati Reds are looking to add major league talent at the MLB trade deadline, they'll have to let go of a prospect or two in order to make a deal.

Joe Boyle was selected in Round 5 of the abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft. The right-hander is wildly erratic but throws absolute gas. Boyle can routinely hit 100 mph on the radar gun. Unfortunately, you don't always know where it's going.

If you enjoyed watching Ricky Karcher, you'd love watching Joe Boyle. Boyle currently owns a walk-rate north of 20-percent according to FanGraphs, but also has 32-percent strikeout-rate.

Boyle is a reliever, plain and simple. The Reds are not doing the right-hander any harm at the moment by utilizing him as a starter in the minor leagues, but if he's ever going to make it to The Show, it'll be as a reliever.

Joe Boyle, much like Yerlin Confidan, will need to be added to the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster this offseason in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. A reliever like Boyle that opposing GMs believe they could stash on the active roster might be more appealing than a low-level minor league outfielder like Confidan.

The Reds might be able to tempt another team to take Boyle at the trade deadline based on the right-hander's raw tools. Out of all the organization's Top 30 prospects, Boyle might be the most likely to move.

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