Reds Reassigned Six Players To Minor League Camp 55 Players Left In Big League Camp

 

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Dateline: 318 kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

The Reds reduced the members in the Major League clubhouse on March 5.

RHP Jose Acuna, SS Edwin Arroyo, 1B Cam Collier, IF/OF Ivan Johnson, OF Hector Rodriguez and C Michael Trautwein were reassigned to the minor league camp. 

It doesn’t mean they won’t participate in Cactus League games, minor league players routinely play in games.

It just indicates that as spring progresses, playing time becomes scarce for them. Starters will be slowly stretched out in games. Pitchers will pitch more innings. Position players will stay in games to get more at bats.

Also minor league games will start soon and both major league players and minor leaguers will get extra playing time.

The big name on this list is Edwin Arroyo. According to pundits in Goodyear, Arroyo could play shortstop for many big league teams right now.

“Arroyo missed a lot of baseball,” Francona recalled. “You put a glove on that kid and it’s amazing how comfortable he looks. It is the balls that he can get to and how easy it is for him. He’s a switch hitter and one of the first guys to be at the ballpark. His future is really bright. I told him enjoy being 21-years old and see how good you can get.”

“I think some of these kids want so badly to make it to the big leagues, that they miss the fun of he journey,’ Francona said.

Cam Collier played in every Cactus League game until he injured his left thumb on a tag play. He will be examined by a doctor. 

Collier won’t turn 21 until November 20.

“He’s barely 20 and we asked him to play first base to get him at bats,” Francona said. “He looks comfortable at the plate.”

Collier hit a double in eight at bats in his eight games before the injury. He also drew threw walks in 11 plate appearances for a .364 on-base-percentage in this tiny sample size.

Jose Acuna is a 22-year old right hander, who was named to the Arizona Fall League All-Star.

“These were the easier conversations,” Francona said. “They’re not being cut. They go to the minor league camp to get ready for a really long season of baseball. As you get closer to the end of camp, those guys are competing, the longer they stay the more they become part of the culture of our team. Those (conversions) get really hard. That’s when it finally hits home.”