Tyler Callihan could quickly pass his fellow draft mate on the Reds' depth chart

It's hard to make it to the majors, and it is even harder to stay there. While this sentiment has held true since the beginning of Major League Baseball, it's become even more difficult to maintain your spot on the active roster due to the influx of talent at all levels. The second you start struggling, there is another big-league ready player waiting in the minor leagues. For the Cincinnati Reds, it gets even more personal.

Rece Hinds, who made his MLB debut last season, was up and down between Cincinnati and Triple-A Louisville. He has already taken his lumps, and despite his majestic run with Cincinnati this past July, Hinds has shown to be an undisciplined hitter. Hinds was selected in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft and came highly-regarded, but the guy who the Reds drafted in the ensuing round may be the one to permanently take his spot in the majors.

Tyler Callihan could quickly pass Rece Hinds on the Reds' depth chart

Tyler Callihan, drafted in the third round in 2019, has sky-rocketed through the minor leagues. He began 2024 with Double-A Chattanooga, logging 21 stolen bases and and 18 extra-base hits in 69 games.

He was promoted to Triple-A Louisville in September, reaching base 11 times in four contests. Callihan has been in the minor leagues since 2019, but this past year (after numerous stints on the injured list) was his opportunity to make a name for himself.

The striking difference between Hinds and Callihan, a pair of 24-year-olds drafted in 2019, is their strikeout rate. In 99 games at Triple-A this past season, Hinds was punched out 160 times to plummet his on-base percentage to .282, which followed up his 151 K's in 2023 and 125 in 2022.

Callihan was retired on strikes 82 times in 73 games in 2024 behind a .359 on-base percentage. This reads as bad news for Hinds, who continues to worsen at the plate while Callihan is finding his footing. Callihan also lit it up in the Arizona Fall League, smashing two home runs, three doubles and two triples in 19 games, while only whiffing 20 times.

Callihan just had his contract selected to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, indicating the Reds seem to be excited about his future in Cincinnati. Is Hinds in a bind here? Callihan is a versatile player, registering games in the infield and outfield, so if the Reds want him roaming the grass, then it may spell trouble for Hinds.

Either way, it seems like Cincinnati has placed more trust in Callihan's future than in Hinds despite being drafted one round later. This will be an intriguing story to follow once spring training begins.

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