Reds' timeline becomes clearer after Nathaniel Lowe contract hint

The Cincinnati Reds signed first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to a minor-league contract with a non-roster invite to spring training. As is oftentimes the case for veteran players like Lowe, his contract contains an opt-out clause, and Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall revealed that the timeline for Lowe to make a decision about his future is quickly approaching.

"He's got an out on Friday and I think we've got to make the decision by Sunday," Krall said during the Reds broadcast on Wednesday. "And I think everybody else is on the roster without any outs."

Reds nearing decision on Nathaniel Lowe with Opening Day quickly approaching

The Reds Opening Day roster is all but set. Most fans know the names of the players who'll be regulars on Terry Francona's lineup card, and Dane Myers, Jose Trevino, and Will Benson are expected to take three of the four bench spots on Cincinnati's roster heading into the upcoming season.

But that final spot is coming down to the wire. Lowe has company in the form of JJ Bleday and Rece Hinds, and while the former Gold Glove Award-winner has a more accomplished Major League résumé than the two outfielders, he plays a position where the Reds already have an abundance of talent.

Lowe is locked in as a first baseman, but that position belongs to rookie Sal Stewart — though some fans might advocate for Spencer Steer. With Stewart and Steer on the roster, and Eugenio Suárez — who's received reps at first base this spring — one has question whether or not Lowe is good positional fit on the roster.

Working in his favor, however, is the fact that Stewart, Steer, and Suárez all have the positional flexibility to move around the diamond. Stewart can play first and second base, Suárez has been a third baseman throughout his Major League career, and Steer will put on a glove and go play any position on the field.

Bleday and Hinds have minor-league options remaining, so Cincinnati can simply send both players down to Triple-A Louisville to begin the season. They've both had a fantastic spring, however, and that will undoubtedly factor into the Reds' decision making process ahead of Friday's deadline.

Adding Lowe to the roster will require a corresponding move, but with Hunter Greene sidelined for the next several months following arthroscopic elbow surgery, the Reds can place him on the 60-day IL in order to open up a spot on the 40-man.