Terry Francona discusses reaching his 2,000th career managerial win with Cincinnati Reds
Terry Francona discusses reaching his 2,000th career managerial win with Cincinnati Reds
There have been more than 100 MLB All-Stars in the long history of Cincinnati Reds baseball but these are the finest.
As current Reds Elly De La Cruz and Andrew Abbott head to the 2025 MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta, The Enquirer is commemorating the long history of Reds All-Star excellence with our all-time list of Reds All-Stars. Here, we stacked the organization’s best players up, measured them against one another and selected the best Reds to earn passage to the Midsummer Classic at their respective positions.
A panel including our present-day Reds beat reporters and long-time Enquirer sports staffers collaborated on this project.
Catcher: Johnny Bench
Widely considered the greatest catcher in baseball history, Johnny Bench was a mainstay in the MLB All-Star Game throughout his career. He played in the Midsummer Classic for 13 consecutive seasons (1968-1980), and returned after a two-year hiatus in 1983, his final season prior to retiring at age 35. Bench is a National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.
Honorable mention: Ernie Lombardi
First baseman: Tony Perez
A seven-time All-Star and an All-Star Game MVP (1967). This National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee represented Cincinnati in the Midsummer Classic during the heart of the Big Red Machine era.
Honorable mentions: Joey Votto, Ted Kluszewski
Second baseman: Joe Morgan
A two-time All-Star with the Houston Astros prior to coming to Cincinnati, Morgan appeared in eight consecutive All-Star Games from 1972-1979. A two-time NL MVP award winner and National Baseball Hall of Famer (not to mention an MVP of the 1972 All-Star Game), Morgan is a lock at second base on this list.
Third baseman: Pete Rose
You could slot Rose in at several positions because he played all over the park. We have him a third base, but you could argue effectively for several different placements. Rose was a 17-time All-Star and 13 of those came during his Cincinnati years. You know the credentials of the “Hit King.” He was a Rookie of the Year, NL MVP, a champion, a World Series MVP and a batting champion, not to mention MLB’s all-time hits leader. Maybe, one day, there’s a posthumous Hall of Fame induction coming, too.
Shortstop: Barry Larkin
The Cincinnati native and Archbishop Moeller product made 12 All-Star Games, and obviously represented the Reds each time as he played his entire career for his hometown club. The All-Star Game was waning in importance during Larkin’s era compared to when the Big Red Machinists played in All-Star Games that really mattered to all involved, but that’s no knock on him. Larkin is clearly the most deserving shortstop in Reds history to be on this list. And why not Dave Concepcion? While Concepcion won the 1982 All-Star Game MVP award, Larkin’s 12 all-star nods were part of an overall Hall of Fame resume.
Honorable mention: Dave Concepcion.
Outfielders: Frank Robinson, Eric Davis, Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr.
Frank Robinson made six All-Star Games as a Red. he was Rookie of the Year in his 1956 All-Star season and earned NL MVP honors in his 1961 All-Star campaign.
Eric Davis was a two-time All-Star in Cincinnati, and his inclusion on this list is made unique because he was named co-champion of the 1989 Home Run Derby (alongside Rubén Sierra of the Texas Rangers).
Ken Griffey Yes, both of them. They share this spot(light). Ken Griffey Jr. following in the footsteps of his father, Ken Griffey, in becoming a Reds All-Star is baseball poetry. And therefore, we don’t separate father and son here. Junior is an inner-circle Hall of Famer, one of the best centerfielders in history. But Senior was a star performer in the greatest lineup in history, not to mention the MVP of the All-Star Game in 1980. Ken Griffey Jr. also put on some of the most unforgettable shows in Home Run Derby history, albeit while he was representing the Seattle Mariners. The legendary slugger won three Home Run Derbies, including the iconic 1999 Derby at Boston’s Fenway Park.
Designated hitter: George Foster
Well, not only was there no designated hitter in the National League during George Foster’s career, inter-league play wouldn’t arrive until 1997, 11 years after Foster retired. So, NL clubs didn’t even get to experiment with utilizing that distinctive feature of the American League until much later. But since the “DH” is a mainstay for all clubs in the modern game and has players elected to the Midsummer Classic specifically in that role, we don’t want to leave the spot vacant. Foster slots in nicely here, too. Foster was a five-time All-Star and earned each selection with Cincinnati. He was also an MVP in 1976 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia as America celebrated its bicentennial.
The starting pitchers
Tom Seaver: Earned two of his 14 All-Star Game selections with the Reds. He led the league in wins (14) during his 1981 All-Star season in Cincinnati.
Mario Soto: A three-time All-Star for the Reds from 1982-1984.
Ewell Blackwell: A six-time All-Star and the league-leader in wins in 1947 (22). That season, he also led baseball with 23 complete games.
Joe Nuxhall: A Reds All-Star in 1955 and 1956, Nuxhall led baseball in shutouts in 1955 with five.
Luis Castillo: Castillo’s 2019 All-Star Game marked his lone appearance in the game as a Reds player.
Closer: Aroldis Chapman
Chapman may prove to be a Hall of Famer eventually. In the meantime, this prolific fireballer can be contented by his two World Series championships and eight All-Star selections (including being named to the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta at age 37). In Cincinnati, Chapman had four straight All-Star seasons (2012-2015).