Terry Francona's comments hint at Reds reliever who could steal Opening Day spot

With Opening Day less than two weeks away, the position battle among the Cincinnati Reds' relievers is easily the most compelling. If it's assumed that Emilio Pagán, Tony Santillan, Graham Ashcraft, Brock Burke, and Pierce Johnson have locked up a spot on the Reds Opening Day roster, there are still three bullpen spots up for grabs.

Former top prospect Connor Phillips and highly-regarded fireballers like Zach Maxwell and Luis Mey have received most of the fanfare this spring, but non-roster invitee Hagen Danner could have the inside track to secure one of the final spots in the Reds bullpen.

Hagen Danner deserves a spot on the Reds Opening Day roster

Cincinnati reporter Charlie Goldsmith recently asked Terry Francona what he liked about Danner, and the Reds manager was effusive in his praise for the right-hander who has just one Major League appearances on this résumé.

“He’s obviously pitching with confidence. The velocity is up. He’s spinning the breaking ball. He’s attacking the zone. There’s nothing not to like. Very impressive," Francona told Goldsmith.

Tito's right. There's a lot to like about Danner's performance this spring. The 27-year-old has made seven Cactus League appearances thus far, and through seven innings of work, he owns a 32.1% strikeout rate and has only walked two of the 28 batters he's faced. As Reds fans know all too well, walks will haunt, and Danner's done a great job of keeping the base paths clear of free runners this spring.

Danner spent all last season as part of the Seattle Mariners organization, but spent the entire year in Triple-A. He logged 56⅓ innings of relief and posted a 5.59 ERA and 5.46 FIP with a 21.4% strikeout rate. Those numbers don't necessarily stand out, but he kept his walk rate below 9%, something he's been able to do throughout his entire minor league career.

That factor alone could separate Danner from the rest of the pack. The trio of Phillips, Maxwell, and Mey have all struggled with command and control throughout their professional careers. Phillips and Maxwell also have the distinction of being tied for the team lead in walks (6) this spring.

Danner is not a household name, but he could very well find his way onto the Reds Opening Day roster. Phillips, Maxwell, and Mey all have minor-league options remaining.Sam Moll is likely to grab the vacancy created by Caleb Ferguson's impending trip to the IL, meaning the trio of young hurlers could all be battling it out for the final spot on the Reds Opening Day.