CINCINNATI — With the Reds badly underperforming for the last two months, there has been the sense that they need organizational changes from top to bottom. That sentiment was outlined in this space last weekend.
But how?
What is clear is the Reds have no interest in revisiting a total rebuild the likes of 2022. And there’s good reason for that. Unlike four years ago, there are foundational pieces that have been put in place that are still under team control for the next several seasons. Elly De La Cruz is under control through 2029. Sal Stewart, Chase Burns, Edwin Arroyo, Alfredo Duno, Hector Rodriguez, Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, Graham Ashcraft, Rhett Lowder and Chase Petty are all pieces of the future. That’s an enviable position to be in. And as much as fans are calling for the jobs of Nick Krall and GM Brad Meador, the organization has done a tremendous job of stockpiling the talent. At least, for now.
There are rumblings that the Reds are running very thin in pitching prospects and they have just two prospects in Baseball America’s Top 100, including Arroyo (No. 81) who is already with the big league club, an Duno (No. 51).
Once they get to Cincinnati, there have been issues with younger players making repeated errors in the field and on the bases. The at-bats late in games with runners in scoring position has been abysmal.
Could a prospect be dealt to bring in a veteran for next year or as part of a package to dump salary (Ke’Bryan Hayes)? Sure, anything is possible leading up to the Aug. 3 deadline. But given the pressing nature of the window for this current group, now is not the time to be dumping big pieces of your core.
The core is in place and the Reds have suffered too much over the ’22 rebuild to just casually and recklessly start selling off their future. What the Reds need to do, starting with Saturday’s MLB Draft (where they select 18th overall), is to add judiciously to the core.
Players likely to be shopped around:
Eugenio Suarez
Tyler Stephenson
Emilio Pagan
TJ Friedl
Ke’Bryan Hayes
Brady Singer
Pierce Johnson
Brock Burke
Matt McLain
Dane Myers
Caleb Ferguson
Sam Moll
Players You’d like To Keep:
JJ Bleday
Spencer Steer
Tony Santillan
Noelvi Marte
Connor Phillips
Core not going anywhere:
Elly De La Cruz
Sal Stewart
Chase Burns
Edwin Arroyo
Hunter Greene
Nick Lodolo
Andrew Abbott
Rhett Lowder
Prospects:
Alfredo Duno
Hector Rodriguez
Chase Petty
Steele Hall
Tyson Lewis
10 Essential Personnel Moves for the Future
To maximize this championship window, the Reds’ leadership must be precise with their upcoming roster additions, subtractions, and organizational changes. Here are ten critical personnel mandates for the franchise going forward:
1. Acquire a Elite, High-Leverage Reliever
The Goal: Solidify the back end of the bullpen.
The Action: While Emilio Pagán has served as the closer, injuries and inconsistent depth have plagued the late innings. The front office must aggressively target a lockdown setup man or co-closer via trade to secure tight games if they decide to trade Pagan at the deadline.
2. Trade for Proven Outfield Bat with Leadership
The Goal: Balance the roster’s talent distribution.
The Action: With a rotation featuring Greene, Lodolo, Abbott, Singer, Burns, and Lowder, the Reds have a rare luxury of pitching depth. They could package a high-floor starter to acquire a young, team-controlled, middle-of-the-order outfielder with proven MLB power, or they could do what they did in 2009 and trade for a Scott Rolen-type who could come in and take a no-nonsense leadership role this team desperately needs. Players need to be called out once in awhile – even if behind closed doors. The Reds have looked far too listless at times during their two-month nosedive to the bottom of the NL Central. And the clubhouse has been deathly quiet and absent of any outward messaging that the way they’re playing is entirely unacceptable.
3. Establish an Offensive Identity with Hitting Coach Adjustments
The Goal: Maximize situational hitting and run production, and improve upon an abysmal performance with runners in scoring position late in games.
The Action: The current roster profiles as an explosive, power-driven group, which sometimes conflicts with a rigid small-ball approach. If the current philosophy limits production, management must bring in a new coaching voice to build a modern, data-driven approach tailored to Great American Ball Park.
4. Figure out Matt McLain plan for the future
The Goal: Maximize both defensive efficiency and lineup optimization.
The Action: The front office should commit to Matt McLain at second base or utilize his high-end athleticism to transition him to center field. Eliminating position-switching friction will allow him to focus entirely on bouncing back at the plate. Ultimately, Reds need to decide if McLain is truly in their future or just move on.
5. Explore Extensions for the Young Pitching Core and Sal Stewart
The Goal: Avoid arbitration inflation and secure cost certainty.
The Action: With approximately $15 to $20 million in immediate payroll flexibility, Nick Krall should bypass standard year-to-year arbitration. Inking foundational pitchers like Andrew Abbott or Nick Lodolo to long-term, team-friendly extensions mirrors successful strategies used by elite mid-market franchises. Same can be said for Chase Burns and Sal Stewart. Of course, the uncertainty of the next CBA could cause the Reds to pull back on this somewhat but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth pursuing.
6. Commit to a Definitive First Base/DH Plan for Sal Stewart
The Goal: Clear a path for the top rookie’s offensive development.
The Action: Sal Stewart’s bat is crucial to the team’s long-term future. He’s been solid at first and third. No need to move him anywhere else.
7. Modernize the Bench with Versatile, High-Contact Options
The Goal: Eliminate dead weight from the bottom of the 40-man roster.
The Action: The organization must move away from defensive-only or high-strikeout reserve players. High-contact utility bats need to be prioritized to fix the team’s lingering issues in extra-inning and situational hitting scenarios.
8. Prioritize Outfield Defensive Range Over Versatility
The Goal: Fix the team’s sub-par defensive metrics.
The Action: While shifting infielders like Noelvi Marte to the outfield helps squeeze bats into the lineup, it has compromised defensive range. The front office must acquire a true, natural center fielder to anchor the defense and improve overall outfield efficiency.
9. Implement Strict Inning-Management Protocols for Chase Burns
The Goal: Protect the long-term health of the team’s top pitching weapon.
The Action: Chase Burns possesses top-of-the-rotation stuff, but workload restrictions are inevitable. The training staff and Terry Francona must map out a precise routine to keep his arm fresh to finish the season, without triggering fatigue or structural injury.
10. Maximize Draft Capital on High-Floor Collegiate Bats
The Goal: Re-stock a top-heavy farm system with near-ready talent.
The Action: Utilizing high draft picks—such as the No. 18 selection—on polished collegiate hitters will provide a fast-tracked wave of talent. Keep an eye on Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron, high school outfielder Trevor Condon, TCU outfielder Sawyer Strosnider and Virginia infielder Eric Becker. These players can step into Great American Ball Park within two seasons to support Elly De La Cruz.
The Path Forward
The pieces required to build a championship roster are there. If the roster undergoes the type of reset that the Bengals orchestrated down the street, there’s no reason to think Terry Francona wouldn’t want to be back in the dugout. The organization certainly still values his championship pedigree. There’s no doubt he’s been hamstrung by a bullpen decimated by injuries to its top four arms, injuries to its top two rotation pitchers, injuries to Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez.
If Nick Krall and the front office use the next four weeks wisely and aggressively execute personnel upgrades—refining the bullpen, sharpening the defense, and injecting proven hitting and leadership to protect Elly De La Cruz, the Reds will evolve from simply a highlight reel team to a contender.
