Ranking every player on the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster

Ranking the Reds 40-man roster: Who is No. 1?

1. Jonathan India, Reds infielder

There will obviously be disagreements as to who the best player on the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster is, but pound-for-pound, it's Jonathan India. The 2021 NL Rookie of the Year will be looking to bounce back after a down year in 2022.

India was publicly admitted that he purposefully gained weight last season in an effort to become more of a power-hitter. The Reds infielder believes it not only hindered his performance, but contributed to his injury-riddled season a year ago.

India went down with a hamstring injury just days into his sophomore season. After what India and the coaching staff was a quick recovery, the second baseman was sidelined again a few games later. India appeared in just 103 games last season and hit .249/.327/.378.

Look for a slimmed-down, quicker version of India in 2023. India is the table-setter for manager David Bell. The 26-year-old will be batting leadoff to begin the season, and his speed and on-base percentage will be what can get the Reds on the board early in games.

Jonathan India, along with Tyler Stephenson, will take a bigger leadership in 2023. While his defense will be tested after Major League Baseball implemented a ban on the shift, India has the skillset to remain at the keystone this season.

Obviously, this list is subjective and once the 2023 season gets underway it could a number of different directions. When prospects like Christian Encarncacion-Strand, Connor Phillips, and Matt McLain work their way to the big leagues, that'll be sure to shake things up as well.