Reds News: Justin Turner interest, Matt McLain reports, Cam Collier position change

The Cincinnati Reds were searching for a right-handed bat all offseason. The club eventually settled on outfielder Austin Hays, and there's a strong hope throughout the organization that the 29-year-old can rebound from his 2024 struggles and return his All-Star form.

But Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic recently revealed that the Reds had their eye on another right-handed bat this offseason. Though reuniting with former farmhand Justin Turner now appears to be off the table, Cincinnati did have interest in the two-time All-Star earlier this winter.

Reds News: Cincy was in contact with World Series champion Justin Turner

According to The Athletic, Turner is drawing strong interest from the Reds' NL Central rivals, the Chicago Cubs. But earlier this offseason, the 40-year-old infielder was reportedly on the Reds' radar. Despite his advanced age, Turner still produced a .259/.354/.383 slash line while splitting time between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners in 2024.

Turner, 40, is a disciplined hitter, but his power numbers took a dip last season. He's also little more than designated hitter at this stage of his career, logging just 44 starts in the field last season. With Jeimer Candelario and Christian Encarnacion-Strand already on the roster, this seems like an odd fit, and it's a good thing the Reds eventually decided to pass.

Reds News: Matt McLain reports to spring training ahead of schedule

It's not uncommon to see position players trickle in ahead of the mandatory arrival date, but when you're talking about a player who missed all of last season due to injury, that's certainly newsworthy. The Reds social media team revealed a photograph on Monday with the caption, "Ohhhhhh, hello Matt McLain."

The Reds infielder arrived at the Goodyear complex and presumably is ready to take the field with his teammates this spring. McLain missed all last season after undergoing shoulder surgery and is looking to return to the Reds lineup in 2025 and become an impact bat alongside his double-play partner Elly De La Cruz.

Reds News: Will Cam Collier be logging time at first base in 2025?

Another storyline to follow once spring training officially opens next week is how well some of the Reds prospects adjust to big league camp. The list of non-roster invitees includes the likes of Sal Stewart, Chase Petty, and Cam Collier.

Collier was captured in a photograph on Monday putting in some work on the right side of the infield. This could be a clue that Collier will be logging time at first base in 2025 — a move that one of the top prospect evaluators foreshadowed earlier this offseason. Collier has exclusively played third base during his time as a professional, but a move to first base could be on the horizon in 2025.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors