Cincinnati Reds set their 2023 Opening Day 26-man roster. Meet the team

The Cincinnati Reds finalized their 26-man Opening Day roster Thursday ahead of their Opening Day game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The roster features 19 players who were on the team last season, primarily the pitching staff, and only two rookies.

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C Tyler Stephenson – After an injury-plagued 2022 season, the Reds are targeting him for around 65 games at catcher with the rest divided between designated hitter and first base. He’s a career .296 hitter.

C Curt Casali – He’s back for a second stint with the Reds (2018-20) after he signed a one-year deal in December. Casali previously backed up Tucker Barnhart and now he will back up Stephenson.

C Luke Maile – It’s a homecoming for the Covington Catholic product. The Guardians raved about his impact with their pitchers last season, helping the youngest team in the league reach the postseason.

1B Jason Vosler – He signed with the Reds on a minor league deal after playing 77 games with the Giants over the past two years. He’s the only lefthanded-hitting option in the infield with Joey Votto on the injured list.

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2B Jonathan India – The 2021 National League Rookie of the Year dealt with a nagging hamstring injury for most of last season. He’s in better shape and learned a lot from his down 2022 season.

SS Jose Barrero – Enacting a change with his batting stance, Barrero looks more comfortable in the batter’s box than he did when he struggled mightily last year. He’ll likely see some time in center field too.

SS Kevin Newman – Acquired in a trade from the Pirates on the same day the Reds sent Kyle Farmer to the Twins. Newman hits well against lefties and was a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop in 2021.

3B Spencer Steer – A September callup last season, Steer is rated as the organization’s No. 7 prospect by Baseball America. Scouts liked his offensive approach this spring and think he’ll hit for power.

OF Wil Myers – After eight seasons with the Padres, Myers is looking to bounce back offensively after signing with the Reds on a one-year deal. He was a team leader throughout the spring.

OF Jake Fraley – Coming back from a broken toe, Fraley hit .295 with 11 homers and seven doubles in 53 games following the All-Star break. He should be one of the team’s top hitters against righthanded pitching.

OF TJ Friedl – It appears he’ll receive the first chance to start in center. A change in his offensive approach helped him produce a .267 batting average, eight homers, six doubles and three triples in his last 43 games.

OF Will Benson – The Reds traded two prospects for Benson before the start of spring training. Benson is one of the best athletes on the roster with top-tier speed, but the question is how well the 24-year-old can hit.

OF Stuart Fairchild – He was cut from major league camp during the spring but brought back for the Opening Day roster. A righthanded hitter, he could form a platoon with one of the lefthanded-hitting outfielders.

SP Hunter Greene – Still one of the youngest starting pitchers in the majors, Greene is looking to build on the way he finished last year. He had a 1.75 ERA in his last eight starts with 66 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings.

SP Nick Lodolo – The lefthander is a handful for hitters because of the horizontal movement on his pitches. He had a 2.92 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 77 innings after the All-Star break last year.

SP Graham Ashcraft – His slider was the talk of camp at the end of spring training. He already possesses a 100-mph cutter and induces a lot of ground balls. If he can strike out more hitters, his potential grows.

SP Connor Overton – He pitched well in a small sample last year, posting a 2.73 ERA in 33 innings. He missed most of last season with a back injury, but he was dedicated all winter to winning a spot in the rotation.

SP Luis Cessa – When Mexico advanced to the World Baseball Classic semifinal, Cessa returned to Reds camp because he wanted to give himself the best chance to win a spot in the rotation. He’s a free agent at the end of the season.

RP Alexis Díaz – The team’s first undisputed closer since Raisel Iglesias. Díaz, who gave Greene the assignment of figuring out his entrance music, had a 1.84 ERA in 63 2/3 innings last year with 83 strikeouts and 10 saves.

RP Buck Farmer – He will enter the season in a setup man role after producing a 2.83 ERA across his last 34 appearances last season. Farmer will be a free agent at the end of the season.

RP Fernando Cruz – It took 15 years from the year Cruz was drafted before he achieved his dream of playing in the majors. He excelled in the spring and pitched well for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

RP Ian Gibaut – Things started to click for Gibaut after he was claimed off waivers last year. He struck out 48 in 34 2/3 innings last year and the Reds plan to use him in high-leverage situations to start the year.

RP Derek Law – Back on an Opening Day roster for the first time since 2017, Law had as good of a spring training as anybody. The 32-year-old provides a lot of experience in a variety of roles to the bullpen.

RP Reiver Sanmartin – He found a home in the bullpen after a rough stretch as a starter last season. As a reliever, the lefty had a 2.96 ERA in 45 2/3 innings. He’s a different look than most relievers with his arm slot and lower velocity.

RP Alex Young – Relying on a strong changeup, the lefty struck out 13 batters in 10 1/3 innings this spring to earn a spot in the bullpen. He had a 2.39 ERA in 24 appearances for the Giants last season.

RP Joel Kuhnel – He had a 6.36 ERA last season, but advanced metrics thought poor luck played a big part. He struck out 56 in 58 innings, and walked only 14, but he gave up eight home runs.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds 2023 Opening Day 26-man roster capsules