The Cincinnati Reds have struggled immensely over the past several years. Gone are fixtures like Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Eugenio Suarez, and Brandon Drury, who were all crucial parts of past Reds squads. Joey Votto, who will likely retire as Cincinnati's first baseman, is the lone veteran remaining on this young roster.
The Reds have not reached the postseason since 2013, and it may be difficult for them to break that streak in 2023. Various projections have them getting close to 70 wins or possibly a bit more this season. Cincinnati's campaign will be led by its starting pitchers, namely Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Graham Ashcraft.
These pitchers with high upside and entertaining stuff will be fun, but the Reds' offense will be subpar. Cincinnati was 26th last season in OPS, and added two veterans to bolster its lineup in Wil Myers and Curt Casali.
As the team sets to embark on another season in hopes of ending their playoff drought, here are three bold Reds predictions for 2023.
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3. The Reds' starting rotation will have one All-Star
Hunter Greene is the pitcher that caught a ton of eyeballs last season because of the velocity of his pitches. He was hyped as someone similar to former Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, but his 2022 season could have been more impressive. His control still has miles to reach, as he tallied a team-high 48 walks allowed last season, along with a subpar ERA of 4.44.
Cincinnati's next pitcher to watch is Nick Londolo, who started 19 games last year and won four. He was bothered by a lingering back injury which caused him to miss a few months. Greene and Londolo have bright futures, but Graham Ashcraft is most likely to reach All-Star status among them.
Ashcraft performed well for a relatively inexperienced pitcher last season before suffering an injury. His style is not to strike out a ton of batters, but he flourishes as a contact pitcher.
2. One player will hit at least 30 home runs
The Reds' offense has been underwhelming the past couple of seasons, especially once they decided to go on a rebuild and let go of their terrific power hitters. Suarez and Drury are gone, and now Wil Myers, Jake Fraley and Joey Votto are responsible for hitting the ball out of the park.
Votto is way past his prime, so gone are the days when he would record 30-40 homers per season. Most people expect Myers and Fraley to hit around 20-30 long bombs, but one will surprise the MLB fans and exceed 30 homers. There is a higher chance it will be Fraley because Cincinnati might move Myers if the front office can find a juicy deal for the talented outfielder before the trade deadline.
1. Spencer Steer wins Rookie of the Year
How about another Reds star to win the Rookie of the Year? Jonathan India last won in 2021, and Spencer Steer will win in this 2023 season.
Steer was acquired at last year's trade deadline and will have a massive role in this organization. Cincinnati will put his versatility on full display this season, and Steer will pounce on that opportunity.
He can contribute offensively in various ways, and he will have more playing time because of the departure of Kyle Farmer and Mike Moustakas. A starting third base spot is a lock for Steer, and don't be surprised when he caps off a stellar debut season by winning Rookie of the Year.
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