Reds' most-watched roster battle narrowed after latest round of spring training cuts

The Cincinnati Reds’ outfield battle is coming down to the wire. After Will Benson was cut over the weekend, Blake Dunn and Jacob Hurtubise entered the knockout round of the position competition. The prospect that breaks camp with the Reds may tell us a lot about Terry Francona’s approach to the 2025 season.

Both Dunn and Hurtubise can cover all three outfield spots, but that’s about where the similarities end. Hurtubise is a light-hitter who bats left-handed. His greatest value comes from his ability to geton base; Hurtubise has a .425 on-base percentage overthe course of his four minor-league seasons.

Dunn, on the other hand, is a true-power and speed threat who posted a 20-50 (20-plus home runs and 50-plus steals) season between High-A and Double-A in 2023.

The Reds biggest position battle has come down to Jacob Hurtubise and Blake Dunn

If the Reds elect to go with Hurtubise, Francona would be signaling faith in his core four outfielders: TJ Friedl, Austin Hays, Jake Fraley, and Stuart Fairchild. Hurtubise’s bat is not strong enough to merit regular playing time, but he would be an excellent candidate for situational hitting. His penchant for walks and sacrifice bunts would fit Francona’s old-school style of play very well.

Meanwhile, a selection of Dunn would indicate a platoon partnership with Fraley in right field. The left-handed hitting Fraley has a .173/.266/.238 career slash line against southpaws. While Dunn struggled against pitchers from both sides in 2024, he was significantly better against lefties than against righties during his prior two minor-league seasons.

Fairchild, who is also better against left-handed pitching, could be a platoon option for Fraley here, giving Dunn the ability to spell Friedl or Hays. This lineup would give Francona more options to mix-and-match.

Hurtubise may have the edge at the moment in terms of spring production. With a .528 on-base percentage, he has been as effective as advertised in spring training, while Dunn’s power has not been as evident. Whichever way the Reds decide to go, the select player’s time with the club will likely be limited. When Spencer Steer returns from injury, the lineup will be thrown into chaos once again.

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