The Cincinnati Reds have experienced an up-and-down 2025 season, currently sitting at a respectable 11-11, but plenty of newcomers have shined in their first few weeks with the team. Let’s take a look at how they’re performing so far.
**All stats as of April 20th**
Checking In on the Cincinnati Reds’ Newcomers
Austin Hays (LF)
Hays has just a six game sample size so far this year, as he is fresh off the IL. He has made immediate impact for the lineup, most notably in his debut game, notching four RBI, mainly from his go-ahead three-run home run that propelled the Reds to an 8-4 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Austin Hays in 6 games with the Reds:
12-28, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 1.253 OPS
A huge part of the Reds offensive surge. pic.twitter.com/EKZlX6nokL
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) April 21, 2025
He is currently sporting a 1.252 OPS with three home runs already. While the OPS will inevitably go down, it has been a fresh sight to see the former All-Star providing some much needed firepower to this struggling Reds offense.
Jose Trevino (C)
Trevino has stepped up as the starting catcher amid Tyler Stephenson’s IL stint to start the season. The former Platinum Glove winner has brought his defense and pitch calling to support the Reds pitching staff, but he has also, somewhat unexpectedly, brought a hot bat into the lineup as well.
Trevino is currently slashing .313/.375/.500 for an .875 OPS and 139 OPS+. He has provided unbelievable production at the bottom of the lineup, and while he is likely to return toward his career .646 OPS mark, there are rumors of potentially finding ways to keep his bat in the lineup even after Stephenson’s return from injury.
Gavin Lux (LF/3B/2B)
The former World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers has switched from wearing blue to red, and has transitioned to a utility guy for the Reds this year. So far, Lux has started 13 games in left field, four at second base, and one at third base. Defensively in the outfield, he has shown flashes with the leather, but has struggled with reads off the bat occasionally, due to him being a natural infielder. He will likely find more time on the bench and in the infield from now on, as Austin Hays has returned from the IL and will be the full time left fielder.
Offensively, Lux is slashing .319/.427/.391 for an .818 OPS and 128 OPS+. He is on an absolute heater, as in his last five games played, he is 11-for-18. He has not homered yet, but has done plenty with the bat, especially as a utility/bench player.
Gavin Lux is seeing a team high and career high 4.31 pitches per plate appearance.
His BB rate of 15.9% is a career high. His career average is 10.1
MLB average 8.5.#Reds
(Baseball Savant) pic.twitter.com/bCzuI2bvFj— LanceMcAlister (@LanceMcAlister) April 21, 2025
Brady Singer (SP)
Singer was traded for his former Florida teammate Jonathan India in an offseason deal between the Reds and Kansas City Royals. There were some concerns with Singer’s transition from pitching in a pitcher friendly Kauffman Stadium to the boombox that is Great American Ball Park. So far in four starts (three at home), Singer has posted a 3.38 ERA and a 1.219 WHIP.
He has struck out an impressive 26.7% of batters faced, while walking them at a 10.0% clip, something he would like to work on as the season progresses. He has been good to begin the year, and the hope is that he can comfortably complete the top three in the rotation along with Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo.
Taylor Rogers (RP)
The Reds brought in from the San Francisco Giants to supplement the lack of lefties in the bullpen, as he and Brent Suter are the only left-handers. So far this season, Rogers has tossed eight innings, paired with a 2.25 ERA. It is a small sample size, but he has allowed some loud contact early on, making his 3.69 xERA a full run higher than his current ERA, although it still isn’t bad.
Scott Barlow (RP)
Barlow has had an uninspiring start to his Reds tenure, as he’s posted a 4.82 ERA in 9 1/3 IP so far. His 5.89 xERA (14th percentile) and .312 xBA (8th percentile), which is a cause for concern. He has always hovered around the low-to-mid four ERA mark, meaning this is essentially the expected production from him.
He will likely serve as a mid-to-low leverage bullpen arm for the remainder of the year, which can still be valuable to a team.
Photo Credit: © Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The post Several Reds Newcomers Making an Early Impact appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.