Reds roster race heats up after Will Benson’s stunning inside-the-park homer

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson may have just altered the discussions surrounding the team's Opening Day roster with one swing of the bat. During Sunday's Cactus League game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Benson showed off his speed with a magnificent inside-the-park home run.

During the bottom of the fifth inning, Benson roped a bouncing base hit over the first baseman's head and into the right field corner. Benson bolted out of the batters' box, raced around first base and had his eyes on a triple. But as the ball was still bounding about along the right field wall, Benson turned on the jets, sped around third, and beat the throw home for an inside-the-park home run.

Benson is currently locked in a battle with JJ Bleday and Rece Hinds, and the more he can pad that stat line, the better chance he has of breaking camp with the big-league ball club.

Will Benson keeps battling a Reds Opening Day roster spot

Given the current roster makeup, one can argue that there's just one spot up grabs as the Reds coaches begin to narrow the list of candidates set to make the team ahead of Opening Day. The starting lineup can be written in permanent ink, and both Jose Trevino and Dane Myers will be the top two bats coming off the bench.

Nathaniel Lowe hasn't stood out at spring camp, but his Major League résumé speaks for itself. Most observers believe he'll have a ticket to Cincinnati when the team leaves Goodyear later this month, meaning there's just one spot left.

Though Hinds has outperformed both Benson and Bleday this spring, the Reds would likely prefer to carry an extra left-handed bat. Hinds is a right-handed hitter. He's also limited to the corner outfield spots, while both Benson and Bleday have experience in center field.

Heading into play on Monday, Benson is hitting .250/.375/.700 with three home runs, six RBI, and four walks. Bleday has shown off his power as well, posting a .300/.391/.500 slash line with a homer and four RBI. All three players have minor league options remaining, so even if only one makes the final cut, the other two will remain within the Reds organization.

Benson not only showed off his wheels on that inside-the-park home run, but also his determination as he looks to secure that final spot on the Reds Opening Day roster. That play alone won't necessarily move Benson up the ladder, but it can't hurt.