Ranking the Reds' most encouraging up-and-comers heading into a perplexing offseason

To say the 2026 Cincinnati Reds' season did not go according to plan would be an understatement. After returning to the postseason in 2025, Reds Country was expecting to see an NL Central division title and a deep playoff run in 2026. Neither were attainable, and the Cincinnati faithful are left scratching their heads with a perplexing offseason — that's likely to include a lockout — on the horizon.

The Reds appear ready to run it back with the same group of leaders who got them into this mess in the first place. Cincinnati's ownership has no intention to sell the team, and the front office will reportedly remain intact.

Amongst all the negativity surrounding the organization, it's difficult to find a silver lining. Nevertheless, several young players made their mark this past season, and could be a significant part of the Reds' future. Let's rank the Reds' top-5 up-and-comers following the 2026 campaign. (Note: For this exercise, only players who've been in the big leagues two years or less will be considered.)

Ranking the Reds' most encouraging up-and-comers following the 2026 season

5. Carlos Jorge, Reds outfielder

Carlos Jorge had a cup of coffee in the big leagues this season. While he wasn't an official 'September call-up', the converted outfielder got plenty of opportunities during the final month of the season to showcase his talents.

Jorge split time with Dane Myers in center field over the last few weeks of the 2026 campaign. In 18 games, he hit just .217/.280/.326 with a 66 wRC+, but he showed off his speed with a pair of bunt base hits during the final series of the season and also recorded two stolen bases. If he makes enough contact at the big-league level, he'll find a spot in the Reds' lineup next season.

4. Héctor Rodríguez, Reds outfielder

Héctor Rodríguez got the call shortly after the Reds traded Nathaniel Lowe to the Cleveland Guardians. It's safe to say it was a mixed back for the 22-year-old outfielder during his first 41 games at the big-league level. Rodríguez finished the year with a .229/.270/.410 slash line, six homers, 17 RBI, and an 82 wRC+.

Rodríguez was dinged by scouts for his defensive prowess, but he handled right field without much concern. Both his speed and arm strength rank among the 70th percentile or higher according to Baseball Savant. If Rodríguez can figure out how to lay off pitches outside the strike zone and draw more walks, the Reds might be sitting on something special.

3. Luis Mey, Reds pitcher

Luis Mey made his big-league debut in 2025, but he solidified his spot in the Reds bullpen with his performance this season. He racked up 50 strikeouts in just under 35 innings pitched (12.98 K/9), striking out over 30% of the batters he faced in 2026.

Some fans are going to look at Mey's 6.23 ERA and think that including him among the Reds' best up-and-comers is a sick joke, On the contrary, his 3.59 FIP is a better indicator of how well he truly performed this season, and if you remove the one inning in which he allowed eight earned runs this season, his ERA would be closer to 3.81.

2. Sal Stewart, Reds first baseman

Despite his poor numbers down the stretch, Sal Stewart remains the odds-on favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year award. He played all 162 games and finished the year hitting .263/.330/.457 with 32 home runs, 111 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and a 112 wRC+.

Stewart won NL Rookie of the Month honors twice this season and should be under consideration for a long-term extension during the offseason. If there's one area Stewart needs to work on this winter, it's his defense. During his first full season as the Reds' primary first baseman, he was worth -3 defensive runs saved (DRS) and -2 outs above average (OAA). Thankfully, his bat more than made up for his defensive shortcomings.

1. Chase Burns, Reds pitcher

What else can be said about Chase Burns' first full season in the major leagues? His late-season placement on the injured list prevented him from reaching 30 total starts, but he was still able to record 15 wins and post a 2.86 ERA over 154 innings of work. Burns will likely receive several down-ballot votes for the NL Cy Young award this year.

The Reds also hitched their proverbial wagon to Burns earlier this year. Cincinnati locked Burns into a seven-year, $105 million contract that will keep him in the Queen City through 2033. Given his volatile delivery and live arm, some may see this as a gamble. But Burns is a special talent, and in order to win at the highest level, you need top-tier pitchers in your rotation. Burns certainly checks that box.

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