Cody Reed Must Prove Himself For Cincinnati Reds In 2016 Spring Training

At the July trade deadline when the Cincinnati Reds traded ace Johnny Cueto to the Kansas City Royals, the press focused on getting 2014 playoff hero Brandon Finnegan back in return. Finnegan has gone back and forth between the bullpen and starting lineup a few times already in his brief career. The real focal point of the deal was Cody Reed.

Reed is listed as the No. 7 prospect in the Reds’ organization. He is the No. 4 pitcher, but also the one closest to being big league ready. Reed, like perennial prospect Robert Stephenson, is probably still a year away, but he must prove that he can be a middle-of-the-rotation starter by the start of the 2017 season.

Last season between Single-A and Double-A, Reed was 13-9 with a 2.41 ERA over 145 innings. If he can repeat that at Triple-A Louisville this season, he may be the team’s best pitcher. The point of the 2016 Louisville season will be to see if Reed and Stephenson can create a one-two punch. While four starters for Cincinnati in 2016 will be fighting for two spots in the 2017 rotation, Reed will be fighting for his career.

The Reds know what they have in Stephenson. They need to find out what they have in Reed. For Reed, 2016 spring training will be about consistency and length. He needs to show the Reds that he can go out there every fifth day and put together four solid innings before he gets sent to the minor league camp.

Reed has no chance of making the rotation coming out of spring training this year. Because they will be extending their starting five, the Reds won’t ask him to go past four innings. He just needs to show them that he will be ready to go six-plus starting in 2017.