Winter League breakout will have Reds rethinking their 2026 Opening Day depth chart

The Cincinnati Reds' search for a power hitter this offseason has led them down many roads, with rumors ranging from a Miguel Andujar reunion to a Kyle Schwarber signing.

Bringing in an outside addition to supplement the current core is probably the wisest path to take. It'd be nice to get some lineup protection for Elly De La Cruz in the middle of the order, particularly if said addition can play left field.

The Reds may already have that type of player on their 40-man roster, and he's just waiting for his chance. Héctor Rodriguez has slowly climbed the prospect ladder in recent years, and had a brilliant 2025 season hitting .283/.336/.450 with 19 home runs across two levels and a 118 wRC+.

Héctor Rodriguez could make push for Reds Opening Day roster next season

The 21-year-old Rodriguez primarily played left field this past season (76 games) and was added to the 40-man roster earlier this offseason. Now he's lighting up the Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) and looks to be ready for his MLB debut.

Rodriguez has played 21 games thus far in the Dominican Winter League, and he's hitting .273/.360/.416 with two home runs in 77 plate appearances. He's also shown off excellent plate discipline, walking 10 times compared to just 11 strikeouts.

LIDOM is no pushover league either; numerous former MLB players and current top prospects are scattered around the league, making Rodriguez's blistering performance even more impressive, especially considering that he won't turn 22 until March.

Rodriguez could definitely use more seasoning at Triple-A -- he posted an 85 wRC+ in just 53 games in Louisville last season -- but he has the profile to immediately emerge as a regular contributor when he eventually gets the call to the majors.

If he were to make the Reds Opening Day roster, Rodriguez could feasibly take the spot of Will Benson. Rodriguez could even render Gavin Lux superfluous, which in turn could free up the designated hitter spot for someone like Andujar, Schwarber, or Sal Stewart.

Either way, it's clear that Rodriguez is ahead of schedule and could make a push to open the 2026 season on the active roster.