The bench battle:
The Reds have three bench spots to fill, with Jose Trevino claiming the fourth. Here are nine candidates for three spots…..
Does Nathaniel Lowe sneak in to grab a bench spot?
LH pop. His five ML seasons with at least 16 HR offers bench power no other candidate provides. His career OPS+ is higher than any current Red.
Who backs up TJ Field in CF: Dane Meyers or Blake Dunn?
Both are RH bats. Myers has hit LHP well, .297 in 182 MLB AB. Dunn was a different hitter in the second half at Louisville last year, hitting .341 with a .436 OBP, and .291/.397, overall. But he’s hit just .151 in 86 ML AB, w/ 36 K..
Will he, or won’t he?
The Reds were 34-27 when Will Benson started in ‘25. He hit the ball harder than any Red last season. He was extremely unlucky w/ a .255 batting average on balls in play (ML average .291). But ultimately hit just .226 in ’25, and is a career .224 hitter in over 1,000 trips to the plate.
Can Rece Hinds or CES put it together?
Rece Hinds had his best minor league in 2025: .302-.356-.536-.922, 24 HR, 21 SB. But he had 21 K in 43 AB, hitting .116 with Reds in 2025. CES hasn’t been able to stay healthy after hitting 13 HR/.805 OPS in 63 games as a rookie. Since then, he’s hit just .199 in 246 MLB at-bats since,
Which J.J. Bleday do the Reds get?
2024: 40 doubles, 20 HR. OPS +120
2025: .212, OPS+ 92, sent to AAA twice, DFA’d.
The LHB was signed to a 1-year, $1.4M deal. He has a minor league option. Lifetime .215 in over 1,500 ML plate appearances.
Can Michael Toglia bounce back?
Belted 25 homers with 10 SB two years ago with the Rockies.
But hit just .190 last season, and .201 in over 1,000 ML plate appearances.
Can Tyler Callahan comeback?
The 25 year old has been cleared to return after his gruesome wall collision in ‘25. He was hitting .303 at AAA, when called up. He can play 1B-2B-3B-OF.
Other prospect options available, if needed due to injury, would include Edwin Arroyo, Hector Rodriguez, and Leo Balcazar. But it’s highly unlikely any would start the season on the bench, slowing their development. Unless hits have hit the Reds.
Who are your three bench players to join Trevino?