Reds quietly bracing for brutal roster decisions with Jake Fraley's return

The Cincinnati Reds have sent Jake Fraley on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Louisville and are expecting the outfielder to return soon — perhaps later this week. Fraley's impending activation will, in all likelihood, send Connor Joe to the minors. But Fraley's return is not the only imminent roster move the Reds will need to make in the coming days, and they're only going to become more difficult.

Fraley has minor-league options remaining, and though he's struggled with the stick this season, once he's fully healthy, Reds fans should expect the veteran back on the active roster. Fraley, however, may be behind Will Benson on the depth chart following his explosive return to the big leagues earlier this month.

Fraley, however, is not the only contributor who's readying for a return. Infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand has begun a rehab assignment as well, and while his timetable for a return is less defined, Cincinnati will inevitably be looking to make another roster move once he's declared to be 100%. This is where the Reds' roster dilemma becomes problematic.

The returns of Jake Fraley and Christian Enacarnacion-Strand could throw the Reds roster into chaos

First, it must be noted that Encarnacion-Strand wasn't exactly hitting the cover off the ball before landing on the IL. Though he has that type of pop, Encarnacion-Strand was hitting just .158 with a .481 OPS at the time of his injury. With minor-league options remaining and Spencer Steer holding down the fort at first base, Cincinnati could decide to keep the 25-year-old down in the minors until he proves that he's deserving of a call-up.

The Reds could always just release Garrett Hampson, who was supposedly signed to be little more than a bench bat and defensive replacement. Considering, however, that he signed a major-league deal and has no minor-league options remaining, he'll probably receive a longer leash than he deserves.

The elephant in the room is the Reds' insistence to keep three catchers on the active roster. Austin Wynns hasn't drawn a start behind the plate since May 6 against the Atlanta Braves, and his defensive limitations are obvious. Nevertheless, Cincinnati's lack of catching depth in the minor leagues makes exposing Wynns to waivers a dangerous game.

Noelvi Marte is another player to keep an eye on. The Reds' third baseman is said to be healing quicker than expected, and is scheduled for an MRI this week. That will determine the next course of action for the former top prospect, but he's still likely a few weeks away. Also, while some Reds fans may be trying hard to forget, Jeimer Candelario is rehabbing as well and making strides toward a return next month.

In short, Fraley's impending return to the active roster is an easy one to accept. The litany of future roster decisions, however, will make Nick Krall's job rather difficult. It'll be quite interesting to see how the Reds President of Baseball Operations navigates the next few weeks.

Once those decisions are made, the attention will shift to manager Terry Francona and how he allocates playing time to a roster filled with young, aspiring talent. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

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