GOODYEAR, Ariz. — During the final week-and-a-half of camp, the biggest question about the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup is how the outfield picture is going to sort out.
“There are a lot of options right now,” Terry Francona said. “We’ve got to figure those out. We’re certainly not there yet. We’ve got some figuring to do, which is a good thing.”
TJ Friedl is the Reds’ primary center fielder (he’ll also get days in left field). After that, the Reds find themselves with more options for their corner outfield spots than they’ve had entering a season in a while, probably since 2020.
Noelvi Marte is the most talented player of group. He has had an inconsistent camp defensively in right field.
“(Arizona) is a hard place to play the outfield, so if you’re going to get exposed, it’ll happen here,” Francona said. “Sometimes (with Marte), I think it’s like paying attention to detail. He’s pretty gifted athletically. That’s why we’ve felt good about him in the outfield and why he has been way more comfortable there. Saying that, it’s anticipating. When you’re at third (base), you’re ready (for the ball) right now. Sometimes in the outfield, you start getting flat footed and one ball comes to you and it can be the game. We’ve definitely tried to impress upon him that.”
Marte’s roster spot still feels like it’s in a safe place.
Is he competing to be the Reds’ starting right fielder?
“We want him to be a really good right fielder,” Francona said. “If he is, we’re a better team. Saying that, he has to be our best right fielder. That’s stating the case for everywhere. We certainly think he’s capable of it. I do think there’s some more to show. We’ve told him that.”
Francona described Will Benson’s spring as “tremendous.”“Probably like every outfielder, he has had a couple of miscues in the outfield, but he has played all three (spots),” Francona said. “He has swung the bat really well. He runs. Will is never going to shortchange you on effort or being ready. He’s always the guy who stays in for the extra at-bat. He’s a pretty conscientious player. He has done a good job.” Spencer Steer will be an option at first base, second base, left field and right field this year. Since the calendar flipped to March, he has mostly been playing the outfield in spring training games.
Two of the standout players in camp have been JJ Bleday, who feels like the hitter he was in 2024, and Rece Hinds, who continues to put together higher quality at-bats and brings elite raw power to the table.
The Reds see a lot of potential for Dane Myers in his role as a playmaking defender who can back up Friedl and hit LHP. Blake Dunn, currently battling a minor knee injury, has had a nice camp.
Nathaniel Lowe is a first baseman. But because Steer can play first base as well as the outfield and because Lowe could profile as a bench bat, he’s competing with a lot of these outfielders for a spot on the roster. Lowe had the best 2025 season out of this group of potential bench bats.
Then in Triple-A, Héctor Rodríguez is one of the Reds’ top bats in the farm system and is expected to have a shot to contribute at some point in 2026.
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