Ranking Reds prospects’ likelihood of making impact at 2026 spring training

Cincinnati Reds spring training is where the roster stops being theory and decisions start being made. The Reds can talk all winter about depth and patience, but once games start, it becomes clear who’s truly pushing for a job — and who’s getting penciled in because the alternatives aren’t good enough.

The big-league roster has expectations now, so any prospect who looks ready can help right away, especially if the roster gets tight early.

Ranking the Reds’ top prospects most likely to pop at 2026 spring training

5. Cam Collier, Reds third base prospect

Cam Collier’s 2025 season was basically a reset button. He had thumb ligament surgery early, delayed Double-A time, and the power didn’t fully show back up. But the upside still jumps, and spring training is the right environment for him to remind people what impact looks like. If the ball starts coming off his bat loud again, the entire tone shifts from last year’s lost season to him being back on schedule.

4. Edwin Arroyo, Reds shortstop prospect

Edwin Arroyo’s down year at the plate needs context. He was returning from shoulder surgery after missing the 2024 regular season, and he was rebuilding timing and strength on the fly. The glove can still flash, but spring is about consistency — cleaner defense, better contact quality, and signs the power could come back.

3. Héctor Rodríguez, Reds outfield prospect

Héctor Rodríguez is the type of spring training hitter who can make the Reds’ staff circle his name fast. He covers the plate, keeps the barrel in the zone, and makes loud contact more often than most hitters his age.

The rest of the package helps him stand out too. He’s got above-average speed and uses it well on the bases, which adds value even when the bat isn’t carrying the day. The limiting factor is the glove. He’s more fringe-to-average in the outfield with an average arm, so the impact path is likely as a corner option or a fourth outfielder type.

2. Sal Stewart, Reds infield prospect

Sal Stewart also already got a taste of the majors, and he’s still prospect-eligible until the service-time threshold is reached. Stewart’s case is simple. If he hits, the Reds have to take him seriously. In his 18 MLB games during his 2025 debut, he hit .255 with a .320 OBP, and he didn’t exactly look overmatched doing it.

The loudest signal was the power showing up in a very real way — including a homer clocked at 112.6 mph exit velocity. If Stewart strings together quality at-bats in camp, the conversation shifts from when he’ll be a fixture to where the Reds can fit him first, since he can move between first, second and third base, and DH.

1. Rhett Lowder, Reds pitching prospect

Rhett Lowder has already debuted, but he remains prospect-eligible because he hasn’t accrued enough MLB service time. He doesn’t need flashy spring headlines. He just needs to look like a pitcher the Reds can trust when the rotation inevitably gets stressful.

The raw ingredients are exactly why he’s the top pitching prospect: a fastball that can climb near 97 mph, typically 92–95 with sink, and the kind of profile that can generate ground balls and quick outs when he’s living in the zone. If he shows he’s healthy, sharp, and capable of turning lineups over even in short spring outings, that’s how a long-term piece starts turning into immediate responsibility.