RedsFanMan

Congratulations to Hampson, Higgins, Richardson, Misiewicz, and Marte for additional time in MLB camp. Banfield probably sticks to end of camp.

Hinds, Dunn, Maxwell, Mey seemingly have little chance of making the team (no matter what they do, at this rate), but figure to get plenty of chances.

Needing 8 relief pitchers, the #Reds have 16 left in camp, including NRIs Antone, Danner, Misiewicz, Richardson, and Marte, whose chances I order like that.

And all of whom I consider to be far less likely than Sam Moll and Kyle Nicolas. Maxwell and Mey are also in camp.

Needing 13 position players, the #Reds have 19 left in camp. Including NRIs Lowe (1b)*, Hampson (INF), Banfield (C), and Higgins (C). Also Rece Hinds, Blake Dunn, Will Benson*, and JJ Bleday.

I think two spots clearly go to two of Lowe, Benson, and Bleday, in that order.

Misiewicz has no chance of making the roster, even with a nice spring, as his chances are far lower than Moll’s to be the third lefty.

Maybe he’s at the end of his chances, but I suspect his MLB experience and spring performance buys him some more time.

But, maybe not.

I suspect Garrett Hampson, who has no real chance of making the team, sticks around at least until Arroyo returns from the WBC, although they’ve also been giving Steele Hall and Tyson Lewis looks, and maybe we see more Balcazar.

There’s no reason to prioritize getting Hampson ready for AAA season.

My predicted next wave of #Reds cuts/options/reassigned to minor league camp:

Trautwein
Higgins
Petty (focus on AAA)
Richardson
Yunior Marte

Lowe, Dunn (injury X factor?), Hinds, Hampson, Banfield, Antone, Danner, Misiewicz stay.

Hard to guess when Maxwell, Mey, CES get sent out.

Should 32 year old minor league free agents make teams with set bullpens if they have good springs?

I’d argue no, they shouldn’t.

Hagen Danner is 26 and also having a strong spring. The reasons he shouldn’t are his prior few seasons, and we shouldn’t overvalue spring training too much.

Antone hasn't thrown more than ~40 innings in a calendar year since 2019, and hasn't gone more than 20 innings since 2021.

Which is both part of the great feel-good story, and a reason why it would be weird to DFA somebody for him.

I think he'll earn his way up in a few weeks with an injury.

I don't think getting somebody else DFA'd is a question of mental fortitude.

Especially somebody who's probably realistically expected to throw a lot more innings in 2026.

Pitching well enough to make a 26-man roster and pushing other guys out are very different things, IMO.

How do you work with THREE lefty relievers?

Recognize their strengths and weaknesses. Moll has huge splits, and for his career has been by far the hardest for LHBs to face. Followed by Ferguson, who also has splits, but not as drastic.

While Burke has minimal splits, a RP who is left handed.

Tejay Antone is having a great spring, and has a great story. But, personally, I don't think it's enough to clear a roster spot of a comparable (or better?) player.

I hope he sticks around AAA Louisville, and continues to pitch well to get called up in short order. I'm very skeptical he makes team.

I am extremely skeptical that the #Reds clear a roster spot for Antone or Danner, or lose Sam Moll to waivers for a feel-good story.

But, Nicolas getting Ashcraft or Phillips optioned is looking like more of a possibility than I would've thought earlier this spring.

Regarding the #Reds bullpen, I think Sam Moll has quietly pitched himself into holding his roster spot, which I always thought was his to lose.

Antone and Danner have increased their chances, while Nicolas started fairly high on depth chart.

I really wonder how team views Ashcraft, Phillips today.

There's something deeply obscene and broken about the fact that Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth are bombing elementary schools in an illegal war of aggression, and there's still a sense among the opposition that it has to be explained in terms of gas prices in order to get American voters to care.

Last 14 months of Biden's term:

+1.74m jobs

First 14 months of Trump's term:

150,000 jobs

(total! for the whole 14 months!)

www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

For those who have forgotten the past 40 years:

Tax cuts for the rich
...don’t trickle down

Boosting military spending
...doesn’t bring peace

Slashing regulations
...doesn’t create jobs

Folks, we’ve seen this all before.

Next wave of cuts! No real surprises.

Noteworthy non-roster candidates remaining in #Reds camp:
1b Lowe*
C Banfield
C Trautwein
1b/C Higgins
INF/OF Hampson
Antone
Richardson
Yunior Marte
Misiewicz
Danner

Petty, Mey, Maxwell, Hinds, Dunn, CES stay.

#Reds Spring Training OPS+

McLain, 2.112
Hinds, 1.821
Elly, 1.555
Myers, 1.480
Stewart, 1.458
Bleday, 1.114
Lowe, 1.089
Banfield, 1.067
Benson, 1.056

If anybody asks I’m offering the explanation that Chris Valaika was fired. #Reds

I never doubted that Nathaniel Lowe (a steal at $1.75m) would make the #Reds, and sure still do not doubt that he makes the team.

He needed a not-atrocious spring, and he’s having a fairly good spring (1.089 OPS).

I think he’s one of the best bargain signings they’ve found in a long time.

He throws curveball to lefties and slider to righties. He’s had pretty even splits against L and R in the past couple of years (skewed a bit in 2023 in career numbers) - .299 wOBA vs LHB, .329 wOBA vs RHP.

He’s really strikes me as a “they wanted to work with him” type guy, rather than a nobody.

Gotta follow them through their years of starfleet academy, and then into their time as lower deck-ers!!!

Lower decks, lower decks!

I’m not sure what the #Reds *do* with Kyle Nicolas, but his 97.6 mph fastball, which he’s thrown over 50% of the time, has been his least effective pitch.

His curveball, ~84 mph, thrown ~23% of the time, has generally been most effective. His ~90mph slider, thrown ~24% of time, has been alright.

I still think LHP Sam Moll is the likely favorite for the final bullpen spot, and Maxwell and Mey have done little to win it away.

I sure don’t imagine them clearing a roster spot for Antone or Danner.

I think Nicolas has a real chance, as might Brandon Williamson as a swing man.

I think the #Reds did a really good job of rebuilding their bullpen with MLB players with track records of durability and success. But, behind them they had lots of question marks. Some with big upside (Maxwell, Mey). Some with injury histories (Antone). Richardson, Danner. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I like the Callihan-Nicolas trade for both teams. I’m happy for Callihan, I think he’s much higher on depth chart in Pittsburgh, perhaps one injury away from a big role vRHP. Rather than suck behind Benson, Bleday, Lowe, Steer.

Nicolas is a candidate for final #Reds reliever, with real upside.

If he does request it, just know that the US government will go along with anything and probably strike CitiField first, declaring it’s not a new war but a war that has been going on for years already.

That should help.

Nicolas has 98 innings in MLB with a 4.68 ERA, 4.27 xERA, 4.10 FIP, 4.65 xFIP, and 0.2 fWAR. Do what that with you will.

But, between minors and MLB, 73.2 IP in 2025, 65.1 IP in 2024, 104 IP in 2023. Like other arms they've added this winter, a track record of durability, at least. #Reds

I'm confident his arm is okay, although in another sense his being treated as a 2b/LF/1b in Cincinnati tells another relevant story about his arm, related to 3b.

I sincerely hope he can stay healthy, I do believe in him as a platoon bat, but it's been fluke after fluke in his career.

Upon Tyler Callihan being traded, I see he also plays 3b, the position he hasn't actually really played since 2022. Maybe he can take over as a Ke'Bryan Hayes replacement in Pittsburgh, platooning with Jared Triolo!

I think Nicolas slots in above Maxwell and Mey, as an other high velocity RHP, but one with a couple of years of MLB experience.

Trade feel like one where they actively sought Nicolas, perhaps really liked him. But, added optionable bullpen depth, which they were maybe short in.