(The starting rotation is supposed to be filled with young studs, but that’s another story.)
Related: Are you ready for the Reds to be sellers again at the deadline?
With the team in last place at the All-Star break, the Reds aren’t likely to be adding anyone who would fill an immediate need, but they will have some decisions to make on some players before the July 31 trade deadline.
Including a handful of soon-to-be free agents and young players who could lose their spot to rising prospects sooner or later, here’s a look at that group.
Related: 6 can’t-miss moments from the Reds’ first half
Which futures should they buy, and which should they look to sell?
Zack Cozart – Sell
The All-Star shortstop is having a career year, but he is 31 and set to be a free agent. He could be re-signed to be provide veteran leadership, but that money might be better spent elsewhere and they have Jose Peraza available to take over for him if he’s traded now.
This is the most valuable he will ever be. The bigger question is if they can find a trading partner in need of a shortstop in the short term.
Raisel Iglesias – Buy
The Reds’ best reliever has proven to be an effective closer this season, but he has the diverse pitch repertoire to move back to the starting rotation if he or his club desires.
The 27-year-old is affordable and under team control until 2022. He is a player to build around unless a mega offer comes along.
Adam Duvall – Buy
A Kentucky native, Duvall is having another strong year after making his first All-Star team in 2016.
Although he was not a high draft pick, he is a proven solid major leaguer who is probably worth more to his team than on the open market.
Duvall remains under team control for another four seasons, and right-handed power hitters are at a premium these days.
Scott Schebler – Sell
Like Duvall last year, Schebler is a mid-20-something outfielder displaying great power in his first full season in the big leagues.
Unlike Duvall, he is a left-handed hitter, something that makes him a little more expendable considering the renaissance of Joey Votto and the present of top outfield prospect Jesse Winker, who also hits left-handed.
(But if a significantly better deal came in for Duvall, he would be the guy to move.)
Eugenio Suarez – Sell
The 25-year-old third baseman can hit the ball out of the ballpark, but doesn’t everybody these days?
He’s not a great fielder, though he’s looked better at the hot corner in 2017 than he did in ’16.
Suarez could be passed in the organization by top prospect Nick Senzel as soon as next season, but in the short term trading him gives utility man Scooter Gennett a place to play every day even if the team keeps Cozart.
Scott Feldman, Drew Storen, Tony Cingrani – Sell, sell, sell
Feldman and Storen are set to be free agents, so anything the team can get for them would be useful, especially now that catching the first-place Brewers seems very unlikely.
Cingrani has been in the majors most of the time since 2013 and can’t be a free agent until 2020, but he is arbitration eligible.
He will likely soon be too expensive to be a small-market team’s fourth- or fifth-best reliever.
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