Total Access Baseball

User login

Who's online

There are currently 0 users and 0 guests online.

Under-the-Radar Cincinnati Reds Players Ready to Impress This Spring

While all of the focus at Cincinnati Reds camp will be on the core players, there are a couple of under-the-radar players who could end up being pleasant surprises this spring.

There aren't many spots available on the team's 25-man roster, if everyone is healthy. There figures to be competition for a bench spot, a bullpen spot and two rotation spots.

This spring, fans will be watching numerous things. They want to see if first baseman Joey Votto and right fielder Jay Bruce are healthy, if Raisel Iglesias is ready to pitch in the majors and if left fielder Marlon Byrd is the big bat the team desperately needs.

With all of the attention elsewhere, a couple of players can fly under the radar and play without much pressure. 

 

OF Brennan Boesch

Trying to prove himself on a minor league deal, Brennan Boesch is the perfect candidate to be a pleasant surprise this spring.

Boesch, a third-round pick in 2006, is in the mix for the open spot on Cincinnati's bench. There are a handful of players who will battle for the spot, but Boesch may have to totally dominate the competition in order to win the spot because he isn't on the 40-man roster.

The 29-year-old outfielder spent last season in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He split time between the major leagues and the minors, with varying results. The left-handed Boesch hit .231 with just one extra-base hit in limited action last April. He then got sent down to the minors and started producing. He hit .332 with 25 home runs, 25 doubles and seven triples in 95 games in Triple-A last season. However, when he returned to the majors in August, the production came to a halt. He hit just .177 with two home runs and a double after coming up from his minor league stint.

Boesch proved in the minors that he has some pop in his bat. That's exactly what the Reds need off the bench now that super-sub Chris Heisey is gone. The only question is, which Boesch will show up to camp? Will it be the one who was a major force in the minors, or will it be the one who struggled with the bat in the majors?

The good news for Boesch is that the Reds spend spring training in Arizona. The ball carries well out in the desert, leading to a lot of offense. 

Boesch won't be facing major league pitching every at-bat this spring. That bodes well for him, given his minor league success last season. Add that to the fact that Arizona helps hitters' numbers, and it's the perfect mix for the veteran outfielder to have a strong spring.

 

RHP Matt Magill

Matt Magill, like Boesch, will be a new face at Reds camp this year. Now, he will get a chance to show his new organization what he can do.

When the Reds acquired Magill from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Heisey in December, it looked like he would be one of the favorites to land any spot in the bullpen that opened up. However, the club has since signed Burke Badenhop, Kevin Gregg and Paul Maholm. Those signings have significantly lowered Magill's chances of making the Opening Day roster.

Magill was used as both a starter and a reliever while in the Dodgers organization. The 2014 season was the first time that he had been used as a reliever, with 24 of his 36 appearances coming out of the bullpen. He posted a 5.21 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP in 84.2 innings at Triple-A Albuquerque last season.

The right-hander does have a little bit of experience pitching in the majors. Back in 2013, he went 0-2 with a 6.51 ERA in six starts.

Magill has a strong fastball, but his command has been an issue. The 25-year-old has walked 326 batters in 708 innings in the minors and walked 28 batters in 27.2 innings during his stint with the Dodgers.

The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay wrote that Magill has already impressed scouts and coaches this spring. Although it's still early in camp, getting off on the right foot with a new team is a good start.

When the coaches watch Magill this spring, they will be looking to see if he has worked on his command. A change of scenery and a new set of coaches could be something that helps him get through his issues. After all, Bryan Price has helped pitchers like Alfredo Simon and Manny Parra find success in the majors after struggling elsewhere.

Magill's stuff is good enough to make him a big league pitcher. Equipped with a strong fastball and a good slider, he just needs to find a way to throw quality strikes consistently. That's something that Price—a former pitching coach—can help with.

Given that Arizona is a hitters' paradise, Magill doesn't need to worry about some statistics. The only thing he needs to worry about is pounding the strike zone.

There won't be much pressure on Magill this spring. He doesn't appear to be a favorite to win either a spot in the rotation or the bullpen. Without any pressure, he can relax and show what he can do on the mound. If his command looks good this spring, he could find himself in the majors at some point this season.

 

All stats and videos are via MLB.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Poll

Best of the American League
Tampa Bay
19%
Boston
19%
Chicago
7%
Minnesota
10%
Los Angeles
17%
Texas
27%
Total votes: 270

Recent blog posts

Featured Sponsors