Comparing the Cardinals' current roster to their division foes

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds were seen as a sneaky, exciting team that could open some eyes in the division and compete for a title. While they were definitely young and exciting, the team once again finished below .500 with a 77-85 record but had postseason statistics pushing them to the 82-win mark. The team is going to see some new faces in 2025 and will continue to hope for increased development from their budding stars.

Starting Rotation

The rotation for the Reds falls into the "young arms with potential" category. While young arms do provide cost certainty for the budget-conscious Reds, this also comes with innings limits and lack of fine tuned skills.

This limitation prompted the Reds to extend the $20 million qualifying offer to 33-year-old Nick Martinez, who spent time as a starter and reliever for the team but is now expected to join the rotation after showing success in his role last season. The additions did not stop there as the team traded former franchise cornerstone and Rookie of the Year Jonathan India to the Royals for Brady Singer. Singer is coming off a strong year and is expected to provide veteran support for the young cast.

Frontman Hunter Greene is the team's current ace and is beginning to develop into a top arm across the league. Greene reached his career high in innings last year with 150.1 and paced the team in that category. Behind Greene is lefty Andrew Abbott, who made 25 decent starts as he finished with a 3.72 ERA but a 5.04 FIP and allowed 1.6 HR/9. Lodolo provided rotation depth and the hope is that he will continue to push his innings limits and develop more strikeout stuff and improved command.

Bullpen

The bullpen is an interesting piece for the Reds as moving Martinez from his role to starter can cause a small hole that needs to be filled. Behind dominant closer Alexis Diaz, will trot out a list of guys with differing track records and potential in the hopes of unlocking something. One piece that may start in the bullpen if the Reds choose to keep him on the big league roster is 2023 first-round pick Rhett Lowder. Lowder pitched at all three levels of the minors last year before making six starts with the big league club and tallied a sparkling 1.17 ERA.

Infield

The loss of India in the trade with Kansas City probably would have hit other teams differently than it would the Reds. Even without him, Cincinnati's infield of Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, and Jeimer Candelario provides an enticing lineup. This infield alignment would move Spencer Steer to the outfield full-time after back-to-back 20+ homer seasons. Catcher Tyler Stephenson will look to continue his strong career with the Reds. The veteran backstop has put together quality seasons at the plate while showing increased defensive performance behind the dish.

While this lineup is still unproven, the potential is tough to argue with. The infielders may not hit for a high average and have an increased strikeout rate, but the power and speed potential from the above four names can make some noise in the division.

Outfield

With Steer moving to the outfield, the rest of the alignment in the grass looks like TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley filling the two remaining spots. All three of these players have 20/20 potential if they can stay healthy and make consistent contact.

Many of the players on the Reds roster have the ability to play multiple positions, so it would not be surprising to see any of these players fill different roles to keep certain guys in the lineup.

Manager

In early October, the Reds made a great move in signing manager Terry Francona to a three-year deal. After not managing in 2024, Francona could provide the young Reds with the veteran leadership they need to find their next level.

The Reds will probably not be very active in the free agent market as their roster appears to be mostly set heading into the new year. This upcoming season will be a big test to see if these young players will finally reach their superstar potential.