Matt McLain And Eugenio Suarez Start Against The Seattle Mariners

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Matt McLain gets his first Cactus League start against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday February 22.

Seattle just missed its first World Series appearance in history last season, losing in seven games to the Toronto Blue Jays.

McLain suffered through a rough year but Terry Francona believes he would make an ideal second hole batter behind TJ Friedl.

One year off an injury that cost him the 2024 season, McLain's average slipped from .290 in 89 games in 2023 to .220 in 147 games last season. More telling is his power numbers dropped from 23 doubles to 18. He hit three triples in 2023 and none last season. His home runs were also down, slightly numerically but his 16 home runs came in 403 plate appearances in 2023 to 15 in 577 appearances last year.

Contributing to the decline is the lingering effect of the injury that forced surgery on his non throwing left shoulder.

"You hear so many guys that they are a year out (after an injury)," Francona explained. "I don't think you want to tell a guy before the season that your going to struggle but he's not the first guy that's happened to. It is not on purpose."

"Just like everybody, you want Matt to feel good about himself when he leaves here," Francona said. "If I had a pill (to make them feel good) I'd probably get in trouble or I'd do it.  But you don't want them to get ready too early. There has to be some reason to it."

McLain had a hot start last spring but faded toward the start of the season. Still in all, Francona placed him in the two hole. The Reds' first pick in the 2018 draft spent 68 games batting second in the lineup. Francona eventually decided to move him down. He started 12 games batting eighth and 54 more batting ninth.

"One you got to have somebody else," Francona said. "My concern last year was. I had a ton of confidence in him. Two every time we kept moving people; because they are young, they kept getting beat up. There's got to be a reason to help your team and the guy."

"McLain is stronger this year. He looks stronger," Francona observed. He starts the season at the age of 26.

McLain bats behind TJ Friedl today.

Elly De La Cruz will bat third and play shortstop.

Eugenio Suarez will be the DH.

Suarez hit .308 in the ALCS last season with two home runs. It was his second tour of duty with Seattle after he was a late season acquisition from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Francona had an enthusiastic pre game greeting for Suarez in the Cactus League opener on Saturday.

"I think every body is excited to see Geno. I don't think you have to hide it," Francona said. "He's loving it being here and so are we. In the drills he brings energy and enthusiasm. Guys gravitate towards him. Now I can pull for him. Playing against him, I was always yelling at him to pop up because he made me nervous but I felt like i knew him because everybody here knew him so well."

Spencer Steer will hit fifth and play first base.

Jose Trevino will catch and bat sixth. 

Ke'Bryan Hayes bats seventh at third base.

JJ Bleday is in left field batting eighth with Rece Hinds in right field and batting ninth.

RHP Jose Franco will be the starting pitcher.

Franco is a 25-year old right hander from Venezuela, trying to stick in the majors for the first time. He started 12 games at Chattanooga before advancing to Louisville and making 14 more starts. Combined he held a 10-4 record with a 3.11 ERA. Franco struck out 118 batters in 110 innings and walked 54.

Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder And Julian Aguiar Start Competition For Rotation Spot Against Cleveland

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

The Cleveland Guardians came back to take the first of three games between the Ohio rivals, 4-2.

The Reds jumped to a tw-run lead when former Cleveland top draft choice followed Edwin Arroyo's leadoff double in the third inning with a home run against, Colin Holderman.

Three youthful starters pitched two innings each and left with the score tied after six innings.

The Wake Forest duo of Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder pitched the first four frames. Julian Aguiar came back from injury and pitched two innings. Lowder and Aguiar made their first appearance against big league competition since 2024.

Burns pitched the first two innings. He walked three batters but didn't allow a hit. He is competing for the fifth spot in the Reds' starting rotation. He struck out two with 32 pitches, 15 for strikes.

"It felt good. It's good to have the first one out of the way. I had the jitters but it's good. It shows you care," Burns said.

He admitted to pulling his fastball a little which caused the walks but he rated his change up as really good. 

"To be able to work on a slider and get a good hitter like (Jose) Ramirez made me realize it is going to be a good pitch for me," Burns said.

Lowder also retired Ramirez. It was good for Terry Francona to see but he cautioned that, "Josie isn't in mid season form yet." Francona managed Ramirez in Cleveland during the All-Star's early years.

Burns stayed out to watch his college teammate navigate his two innings.

"He's my boy," Burns said. "It was good to see him out there, feeling good and feeling healthy. His change up is really nasty. I've been throwing with him every day so I've gotten to see what he's working on."

Lowder had a year of rehab behind him and this was his first competition in over a year.

"It wasn't bad," Lowder said. "I still have stuff to work on but it felt really good. I got to compete a little bit, work with guys on base a little. It was pretty fun. I have to figure out the bullpen a little bit. I think a threw too many pitches out there. I was excited to see (Steven Kwan) and Ramirez. They had a lot of good lefties. It was a good challenge for me."

Aguiar followed with two innings, allowing a run on two hits, a walk and two strikeouts.

The 24-year old last pitched on September 19, 2024 against Atlanta. He had "Tommy John" surgery in October of 2024.

"It was exciting to be able to come back and enjoy the game of baseball that we love," Aguiar said. "It is something I've been doing my whole life, really. I used all of my pitches you can't be afraid to use any of your pitches. I went out and attacked to zone. I had the jitters, even now, I'm still excited and glad we got through it. It wasn't hard sitting out it is just a mind set. You have to tell yourself you're not competing in games and enjoy your time in the gym and just get after it and it will go by quick. I learned a lot."

Francona enjoyed watching the trio, two of which he didn't see against competition last year.

"Burns walked three which he wasn't happy about but the ball came out fine. I thought Lowder was really good. The second inning especially. Aggie had a low pitch count because of the double play, caught stealing and threw a lot of pitches in his second inning. He gave up back-to-back doubles. He hadn't pitched in 15 months. That was fun to watch."

It was good to get the first game out of the way.

"We're talking about making the clubs and all that but they haven't pitched competitively in a long time. What is even more important is when they throw a side and get into a routine," Francona said.

Carter Kieboom hit a two-run double off non-roster RHP Hagen Danner in the seventh to seal the game.

Tyler Stephenson opened the Cactus League with a solid single to center off Cleveland Guardians starter, Logan Allen. 

The Reds had four hits Arroyo's double, Benson's home run and Stephenson's single. Blake Dunn fighting to win a roster spot singled.

NOTE

Sal Stewart won an ABS challenge in the first inning. He was called out on strikes but challenged and took a walk instead.

"It looked like he challenged every pitch. He kinda goes to his head all the time. He was successful. Which doesn't surprise me,"  Francona said. 

Reds Begin Cactus League Play Against Cleveland Guardians

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder and Julian Aguir will get a chance to compete for the fifth start in the Reds rotation starting with the Cleveland Guardians today, February 21.

They work work two innings at most and more than likely just one inning. The Reds are the visiting team at Goodyear Ballpark as the teams share the facility.

Burns started eight games last season and relieved in five more. Lowder, 23, started six games in 2024. Aguiar, 24, started seven.

Both sat out last season with injuries. They get a second chance starting today.

The pitchers are scheduled to pitch two innings. There is a rule that if a pitcher has a long inning, he can be removed and come back in.

"There is something every day that I get excited about," Terry Francona said. "Watching Aguie will be fun. Up until they've been competing with themselves, now he gets to go out and compete."

The Reds will start with Tyler Stephenson, catching and batting first. Managers often bat catchers leadoff early in spring to get more at bats. They leave Cactus League games earlier until they build innings.

Eugenio Suarez in his second tour with the Reds will bat second and play third base. Again the reason is to get him an extra at bat. Suarez joins the Venezuela National Team in the World Baseball Classic on February 27th.

Will Benson bats third and play left field.

Sal Stewart will play second base and bat fourth. He will see time at first base.

Noelvi Marte will continue his development in right field and bat fifth.

Newcomers Nathaniel Lowe will play first base and bat sixth, Dane Myers will be in center field and hit seventh and Michael Toglia will be the designated hitter and bat eighth. 

Myers is on the 40-man roster. Lowe and Toglia are non-roster players, who need to bump someone from the 40-man to make the team.

Edwin Arroyo will start the Cactus League at shortstop and bat ninth. He will leave on the 27th and play for the Puerto Rican team in the WBC.

The Reds host the Seattle Mariners, who just missed the 2025 World Series, losing to the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship series.  Suarez was a key member of that team.

Blake Dunn Adjusts Mentally And Physically For A Brand New Start

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Blake Dunn has as much athletic ability as anyone on the team.

He is one of the fastest players on the team and plays an aggressive centerfield. Dunn has a good feel for the game.

Manager Terry Francona said this time last year that Dunn could be an every day player in the Major Leagues and had a good spring.

Once the season started, it was a different story for the 27-year old from Holland, Michigan, who became the Reds' 15th round pick out of Western Michigan University.

Dunn won his first spot on an opening day roster by hitting .342 in the Cactus League with two doubles, a triple and two home runs.

"There is no reason he can't be an every day player," Francona said. "Are you going to see it here right now? I don't think so unless something really happens. I would never want to pigeonhole someone to say hey, you can only do this, or you can only do that. Physically, he can do it. Let there playing dictated not what I say in February."

The only problem with that is Dunn went from being an ever day player at Triple A to a bench player on the big league club.

"Rece Hinds, same thing. It might not happen on their timetable and I get it. Sometimes its hard. If you don't get a chance to play every day, it's hard to play every day. Some guys get one chance and they've got to make it. Some guys get more chances. Sometimes its the luck of the draw. If someone gets hurt or you have a place for them. It is hard not to put more pressure on themselves. You try to tell them but its hard to do. I've been through it."

When Dunn went to Louisville in May after 30 games and hit a paltry .150. 

He slumped with the Bats, too.

"It was obviously a great start to the year," Dunn recalled. "I played really well in camp, made the team. I struggled a little bit and got sent down. I figured somethings out at Triple A."

Dunn hit even worse at Louisville in his first 14 games. His average was even lower, hitting .113 at the end of May. By the end of June it was .198. Then he hit .354 in July, .358 in August and ended the season with a .291 after hitting .340 over the last 67 games.

What made the difference?

"I worked on some physical things, some mental things and had a good second half. I was happy with that." Dunn said. "From the break (All-Star) I continued to refine some stuff. I didn't change much. I am taking what worked at the end of last season and took it  into this year. I feel really good."

"The physical adjustments I made allowed me to make more quality contact," Dunn said.  "I was able to control the barrel (of the bat) a little bit more. I was able to capitalize on mistakes pitchers made. I think that's one of the things at the big league level. I had really, really good quality at bats the last two, two and a half months."

"I did some mental performance training too," Dunn revealed. "It really helped me a ton. Zach Sorenson, he was our mental performance guy last year. He's not with us this year. I am going to work on that every day, with him or someone else. I haven't figured that out yet but I will continue to work on that every day."

Tyler Callihan Upbeat After Brief But Rough 2025 Ride

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Awe Spring, the season of new beginnings.

Tyler Callihan was smiling and upbeat sitting by his locker on a chilly morning that will turn into a beautiful day in Goodyear, Arizona.

The 25-year old, third round choice of the Reds in the 2019 draft had high hopes of being a major leaguer this time last year.

It didn't happen right away. He was re assigned to the minor league camp and started the campaign in Louisville.

He played in 24 games for the Reds' Triple A squad and impressed with a .303 batting average, .410 OBP and 528 slugging percentage with four doubles, two triples and four home runs. He drove in 12 runs and stole six bases in the month in Louisville.

Jeimer Candelario strained his lower lumbar and Callihan got his break, a dream come true. The rookie was called up April 30 for a double header against the St. Louis. He started the first game and entered as a defensive replacement in the second game.

Callihan broke the seal with his first big league hit on May 3 against the Washington Nationals. He singled to drive in Jake Fraley in the second inning.

The on May 5, he started the game in Atlanta. It was soon to become his last of the season, just 28 games into the season with four as a Red.

With two outs and a runner on in the third inning, left handed power hitter sliced a ball to left field off Brady Singer. Callihan went after it with all he had.

"I made a play that was similar in High A (minor leagues)," Callihan said. "But I was at third base. I had a lot less room to run as fast as I good, so I kind of made the play and was against the wall. I guess sub conciously, I thought I could do it again; make the play and turn my arm in. Obviously, I was moving faster than I thought. I went to turn my arm in and it hit against the wall, unfortunately. I was doing everything I could to make the play. I knew there was two outs and a runner on and if I dropped it they were going to score."

Callihan appeared to make the catch from manager Terry Francona's view point. He challenged the third base umpires, on-the-spot decision that it was not a catch. The runner scored and as Callihan laid in pain, Olson circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run.

The umpires call was upheld.

"Hind sight is 20-20. I'm glad I tried to make the play with intensity, that I did but next time, I'm going to be smarter," Callihan conceded.

Surgery was performed to repair the two broken bones in his left arm. A few weeks later, they found his wrist was torn on the same play. Callihan had a plate removed in November.

Now he's back.

"There were so many different people, who helped me. The training staff in Cincinnati, the rehab people in Arizona, the people in Louisville that took care of me and my two surgeons. I feel like I had a huge team of people. I never felt I was alone in the process. The fans and my family helping me. I felt very together with everyone," Callihan said.

There was the elation for getting the call to the big leagues, his first hit in the majors but he lost a year of development.

"It was a roller coaster, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I got to spend a lot of time with my family, There is always a silver lining. I think anything that's bad has the opposite reaction that's good," Callihan said. "I am trying to focus on that and do everything I can to prepare. I was pumped that I got my first hit in at the very least."

Now the hindsight is over the foresight begins.

"I'm doing a lot of drills now. Every day in the outfield, I'm shagging," Callihan said. "Any time the ball is in the air, I'll do some tracking drills. I look at the ball, look at the wall, look at the ball, going back and forth until I get my bearings out there. It has improved a lot from being out here for a month and taking reps."

Offensively, Callihan won't do anything differently. 

"I'm trying not to do anything different. It's worked pretty well for me the last few years," Callihan said. "Right now it is just trying to get back into a groove. I didn't necessarily to really have the entire off season to work on my swing. I have to swing and feel good before I get into the nooks and crannies of it. I can work on developing my swing."

Francona plans to play him at second base and left field this spring. Callihan has played third base in the past. 

The training staff had to clear Callihan at the beginning of camp and he passed the physical.

"He had been doing everything but he had to be cleared," Francona said. "I've been out here about two weeks and every week I see him do more. It is probably going to continue. I told him, that I respect the fact that, you're competing. I get it but you missed a year of development. So we need to keep an eye on him. I don't want him to back off from competing. Just let me know how you're feeling. We will limit him early on just to second and left. If we need to expand that later, we can."

When told how upbeat Callihan was, Francona responded with emphasis. 

"He should be upbeat," Francona said. "He's done a really good job. I watched him hitting in lives (live BP). It was cold, windy I didn't see him holding back. . I don't know if you call them plateaus or milestones but he does something and he says o.k. I can do it. You see him get confident and then he gets back into competition, I think reps will be good for him."

 

Chase Burns Will Open The Cactus League On Saturday

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Chase Burns will open the Cactus League against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday.

It is Burns' first full camp and Terry Francona reminded the media of that earlier this week.

Burns is competing to join, Brady Singer, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene in the starting rotation.

A collection of Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguilar, Chase Petty and even Connor Phillips will get a crack at the opening along with Burns. 

Last spring Burns pitched mostly at the minor league and intrasquad games in camp. He did pitch an inning before being assigned to minor league camp.

He was impressive, even in that small sample size.

"I think he handled it like a veteran," Terry Francona said. "He got a lot coming at him last year. He went from A to Double A, to Triple A, to the big leagues. He started. He relieved. He got hurt. I think a full big league camp will do him good. We can't forget that this is his first full big league camp and we won't. There is a lot to like. He has a big arm. He's a good kid. He won't short change you." 

Starting pitching is expected to be a strong facet of the Reds' roster this season. 

Hunter Greene pitched live batting practice on Tuesday. 

Francona was not evaluating pitching. He relied on his coaches.

"I think all of our guys look healthy, I think the ball is coming out(of their hands) good," Francona said. "DJ (pitching coach Derek Johnson) said at one point they only threw four balls, five the entire time."

The Reds have the new ABS (Automatic Balls Strikes) system that will be used in the Major Leagues for the first time this season.

The Reds scheduled 10 pitchers to pitch live batting practice, mostly relievers. Tejay Antone, Graham Ashcraft, Brock Burke, Hagen Danner, Zach Maxwell, Darren McCaughan, Luis Mey, Anthony Misiewicz, Connor Phillips and Lyon Richardson.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who is nursing a hamstring, Rece Hinds, Garrett Hanson, Dane Myers, Blake Dunn and Michael Chavez will face, Ashcraft, Maxwell, Philips and Richardson on one field.

TJ Friedl, Elly De La Cruz, JJ Bleday, Noelvi Marte, Will Benson and Michael Toglia will test, Burke, Antone, and Mey.

Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, Sal Stewart, Eugenio Suarez, Ke'Brian Hayes and Tyler Callihan are challenged by Danner, McCaughn and Misiewicz.

Noelvi Marte New Start, New Position, New Year And New Number

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Noelvi Marte is starting all over, now two years removed from his 80-game suspension, he is in camp as a right fielder rather than third base.

This year he is wearing the number 4.

As a boy in San Francisco, Dominican Republic, Marte's father took him to a baseball game. Noelvi told his dad that he would play on that field someday. His father asked him what number he would wear. Marte answered four to correspond with the size of his family, mother, father and sister included to make that number.

He wore the number in the Seattle organization but settled for a multiple in number 16 when he came to Cincinnati. The 24-year old asked Santiago Espinal, "I asked Espy if I could have it. He said, awe, I will give it to you next year but I never got it."

"I always used the number for when I was with Seattle. Since I wore that number I've always had a good year," Marte said through interpreter Thomas Vera.  He wears a necklace with his initials with the number under the M.

Marte came to the Reds along with Edwin Arroyo in the trade for Luis Castillo on July 30, 2022.

Marte was signed with the Mariners as a 16-year old in 2018. In his first four minor league seasons, starting in 2019 he played shortstop. The Reds converted him to a third baseman during the Arizona Fall League in 2023. He was never comfortable at the position. He had problems with his throws. With the Reds, Marte committed five errors in 68 chances in 2023, 12 errors in 130 chances in 2024 and five errors in 78 chances last season until he went to right field.

Of Marte's 22 errors, 14 were on throws.

The Reds moved him to right field and he played 54 games in the outfield with no errors in 98 chances.

"It slowed down for Noelvi. He feels much more comfortable there," Francona said. "It was always a fight, trying to find a release point. It was always making sure his throws were ok. Moving to right field cleared him up. He has a good arm, good arm strength. It just plays better in the outfield."

 Marte can relax. He can work on improving on his outfield play.

"It is good, coming into camp that you are working on one position," Marte said. "You feel more dedicated to what you have to do. It is relaxing."

"When you're in the outfield you have less pressure," said Marte, who robbed a home run late in the season to help the Reds make the playoffs. "You have more time, not only to work before the game, you can think about the at bat before. You can think about how you're going to attack the next at bat. I have more time defensively and offensively by playing in the outfield."

The Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates on the last home game of the season, 2-1. Marte handled all three outs. The first was routine. Then he reached over the fence to rob Brian Reynolds of a game tying home run for the second out. He tracked down the game clinching catch running toward the line. 

"That was one of the most emotional moments of my career. Catching that ball was a highlight, especially moving to right field in the middle of the season. It taught me that I can do things like that in the outfield," Marte said.

Now that he has more time to work on his bat, Marte is making adjustments this spring.

Marte is an anomaly, a right handed batter who is better against right handed pitchers.

Last year Marte had 256 plate appearances against right handed pitchers and 104 against lefties. He hit .275 against the right handers and just ,232 against left handers. Marte hit 13 of his 14 home runs against right handed pitchers. He hit 16 doubles and two triples against righties and one double against left handers. His average over his career is close but his power numbers are skewed against right handed pitching. Right handers allowed 30 doubles and 19 home runs in his career. Left handers have given up just three doubles and two home runs.

Marte is working to fix that. 

"Seeing a lot of pitches last year by playing regularly, I learned how to separate the fastball from the other pitches and how to approach the at bat. That gave me confidence knowing how to attack certain pitches," Marte said. "Last year against lefties was not really good for me. I went back to what I did in the minor leagues. I found one of the things I was missing, I believe. I need to be closer to the plate. I am going to stop being so selective. I'm going to go ahead and hit what is coming. That is exactly what I'm working on. We will see what happens."

Blake Dunn And Reece Hinds Have Important Spring Camp Ahead

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Major League baseball careers are finite.

The chances of a player sticking to a big league roster starts to diminish after age 26 or so. Careers start to fade in their mid thirties.

There are always exceptions but for a majority of baseball player's window of opportunity is within this 10-years.

Blake Dunn, 27, and Rece Hinds, 25, are there now. Both have had a taste of the "Show" but have been limited by the roster numbers game and their performance.

"On a little bit different levels, like Blake made the club and kinda like, ran into some troubles. He goes to Triple A. He got beat up for awhile. Then really turned it on. He ended up having a damn good year. It was in that second half but it was good," Terry Francona said. "The same thing with Rece. Rece said, 'I got called up. I played every day in Triple A. I come up to a better league and I'm playing sometimes. I was trying to go, like 3-for-1,' I'm paraphrasing. 'but if i pinch hit, I want to hit a home run.' I told him you've got to play the game. I know it is easier said than done. But you can't play like that. It's not productive. Hopefully experience helps with that."

Dunn was around the .200 mark in mid season but ended up with a .291 average and seven home runs, scoring 59 runs, driving in 40 and stealing 24 bases off a .397 on-base-percentage. 

Hinds, who broke in hot with the Reds in 2024, hitting five home runs in his first six games and then nothing in his final 18 contests. Last season, Hinds hit .116 with two home runs in 15 games during three separate calls to the big league roster. In Louisville, Hinds was one of Triple A's best hitter. He hit .302 with 26 doubles, two triples, 24 home runs and 83 RBI. Hinds stole 21 bases, all in 107 games.

The pair are in the same situation that Will Benson was in over the last two years.

Benson, who was a number one pick of the Cleveland Indians in 2016, is now 27. Benson spent the entire 2024 season on the Major League roster. He played 128 games, hitting .187 with 14 home runs but he struck out a whopping 154 times in 388 plate appearances. That is a 39.7 strikeout percentage. Benson reduced that percentage to 26.5 in 2025. He started the season in Louisville where he played in 41 games, recording a .275 average with seven home runs. He played in 90 games for the Reds, hitting .226 with eight doubles, two triples and 12 home runs. Over the total of 131 games on both levels combined, Benson struck out 116 times in 431 plate appearances with his strikeout rates slightly lower at the big league level.

"Benson, I told him the other day this will be a way more in our meeting, this will be a way more fun meeting than it was last year," Francona said. 

Benson is important to this lineup which will be heavy with right-handed hitters. His left-handed bat will be counted on for balance. Dunn and Hinds are right handed. Their path to the big leagues will be more difficult.

Hinds is more of a corner outfielder but Benson and Dunn are center field candidates although they play mostly in right field. The Reds added Dane Myers, 29, with more experience than Hinds and Dunn. Myers played 68 games in center field last season and bats right handed. The Reds acquired JJ Bleday with four years of big league experience. He is 28 and bats left handed and played 55 games in center field for the A's last year.

Dunn, who Francona believes will be an every day player, and Hinds have less than a year of experience. They have options remaining.

Reds Players Report To Camp In Great Shape With Good Meeting With Francona

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

The position players reported today. All of them had intense physicals and a face-to-face meeting with the manager, Terry Francona and the general manager, Brad Meador.

"We went through all our meetings. These guys are just good kids. They are really fun to be around. This usually a longer day for me but you will the obligation to go beyond. I end up feeling better," Francona said.

The Reds are young still but now have more players that had the experience to discover what it takes to go into the post season.

"I told them after that loss in LA. Remember how good it felt when we popped champagne. Now remember how shitty this feels," Francona recalled. "I think they took that mentality and thought, hey this might be fun and let's go."

"We might be younger than some of the teams we're competing against but we've got to go toe-to-toe with them. These guys have a few years under their belt now. It's time. Let's go."

Francona told them he was proud of them for showing up in shape ready to go.

"Elly (De La Cruz) tested out so good; (Noelvi) Marte, they all did. (Spencer) Steer didn't show up by luck feeling good."

Christian Encarnacion-Strand is an exception. He strained a hamstring working out in January. He is on a running program and may miss the early Cactus League games.

Left-handed minor league pitcher Joel Valdez will be shut down for a few weeks with a shoulder strain and will be shut down for a few weeks.

Those so far are the only players  among the 56, that start full workouts on Monday (2-16-26).

A couple of players, coming off injuries from last season are healthy again.

Tyler Callihan, who fractured his left forearm in an ugly incident in Atlanta last season, has been cleared.

"Callihan was technically cleared today because he went through his physical," Francona said. "He's been doing everything but he had to be okayed. He's fine. He missed a year of development. I told him not to back him off, just compete. We have to keep an eye on him."

Cam Collier broke his left thumb in spring training. He recovered to have a decent minor league season. His power showed a dip with just four home runs in 74 games after hitting 20 in 119 games in Dayton in 2024. Collier hit 21 doubles for the third year in a row.

"He is good really good," Francona said. "We talked to him last year when it happened and told him let's take a negative and turn it into a positive, so work on your body. He did it, man. He put himself in a good position. He is still young as hell. He is still one of the younger guys in Double A. There's a lot to like."

Collier will be 22 on November 20. He played third base the majority of his career and is still learning first base but Francona thinks it will be helpful if he can play both.

"It is going to be crowded for those younger guys but we'll figure it out," Francona concluded. "The more we can get players playing multiple positions is good. There is going to be a balance there."

Chase Burns First Full Camp Will Reveal His Progress

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Chase Burns had a full experience last season.

He was drafted and threw his first pitch as a professional nearly a year ago. After that he had a fast track experience, touching every rung on the baseball ladder.

performed in several roles and situations.

"I think he handled it like a veteran," Terry Francona said. "He got a lot coming at him last year. He went from A to Double A, to Triple A, to the big leagues. He started. He relieved. He got hurt. I think a full big league camp will do him good. We can't forget that this is his first full big league camp and we won't. There is a lot to like. He has a big arm. He's a good kid. He won't short change you."

He only made one appearance in the Cactus League last season, impressing Francona in that small sample.

Burns struck out eight New York Yankee batters in his first big league game and start. His next start against the Boston Red Sox was a disaster. He lasted only 1/3 inning and gave up five earned runs.

It skewed his statistics with which he finished the season.

The 23-year old made six more starts. He turned in a pair of quality starts of six innings of three runs or fewer, including his last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He struck out 10 batters in four of those starts with three in a row. Altogether in those six starts he logged 29 innings and struck out 49 as apposed to 11 walks with a 3.27 ERA.

The six innings against the Pirates on August 8. He sat out a month with a grade one flexor strain on his right elbow. He missed a month and worked out of the bullpen over his last five games. Burns struck out 10 batters in relief over nine innings. He allowed just two earned runs in relief,  finishing the season with an 0-3 record but with a 4.57 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings. 

Burns will compete for the fifth spot in the Reds' starting rotation along with fellow Wake Forest pitcher, Rhett Lowder.