Red Wave Alert

It has been a tough run for Cincinnati Reds fans in recent years. They haven’t won a playoff series since 1995 and have also never been a consistent contender. Last year, the Reds front office had an infamous fire sale that caused them to lose over 100 games for the first time since 1982. However, little did we know the front office was at the beginning of building something special. I believe in the Reds the next big winner has arrived.

The Fire Sale Was Worth It

Before the 2022 season began, the Reds traded Jesse Winker, Sonny Gray, Amir Garrett, Eugenio Suarez, and Tucker Barnhart. At the trade deadline, the Reds would deal away both Tyler Mahle and Luis Castillo. These moves were heavily criticized by the fan base. However, a core was in the process of forming and the farm system was getting ready to explode with talent. The Reds were able to acquire core players Jake Fraley, Noelvi Marte, Spencer Steer, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

The Farm System Is Blossoming Talent

This season, the farm system is bearing fruit. Since being promoted in June, Elly De La Cruz has been sensational and perhaps single-handedly rejuvenated this team and fan base. Despite having to move over to first base due to Joey Votto’s injuries, Spencer Steer has thrived. When healthy, Jake Fraley has also been able to have success. Meanwhile, Christian Encarnacion-Strand has shown some promise as well.

Despite graduating many players to the big leagues, Cincinnati’s farm system is still ranked inside the top five. There are many players who are still developing at the lower levels of the farm systems. The Reds also have other top prospects who have yet to make their big-league debuts. Given how successful many of the team’s young players have been at the big-league level, this is only the beginning of the Reds being a contender again.

Proving the Prognosticators Wrong

Despite being picked by many to finish at the bottom of the NL Central again, the Reds are currently playing meaningful baseball. At one point this season, the Cincinnati Reds ripped off a 12-game win streak and spent 67 days in first place. This young squad is still very much in the wild-card race. Cincinnati is only behind the San Francisco Giants by percentage points for the final postseason spot. This is quite the turnaround from being a 100-loss team just a season ago.

The NL Central Is Getting Weaker

The current division title contenders in the NL Central are only getting weaker. The Brewers’ contention window is closing, Bob Nutting is still the Pirates owner, a transition period seems imminent for the Cardinals, and the Cubs don’t appear to be good enough to truly be a consistent contender. This is the perfect time for the Reds farm system to bear fruit and open a window to contend.

The Next Great Reds Team Is Almost Here

In just one season, the Reds have positioned themselves to open a contention window. General manager Nick Krall did a fantastic job of maximizing the return the team received from trades made last season. Given how well the core has developed, this team is going to be exciting to watch in the coming years. The next great Reds team is close to arriving in Cincinnati.

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