The Cincinnati Reds announced their first cuts of spring training today and sent seven players back to minor league camp. Among the seven players were four of their Top 10 prospects. Right-handed pitcher Chase Burns, shortstop Edwin Arroyo (#5), third baseman Cam Collier (#6), and outfielder Hector Rodriguez (#10) were joined by right-handed pitcher Jose Acuna, outfielder Ivan Johnson, and catcher Michael Trautwein in the first group of players sent to the minor leagues from big league camp.
Update at 11pm ET:
The Reds announced after the game on Wednesday that Chase Burns was re-assigned to minor league camp. C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic was the first to report this. Burns pitched a hitless inning with a walk and three strikeouts in Cincinnati’s loss to Texas. It was his only appearance so far of the spring.
No one in this group had a particularly strong showing in their limited action this spring. Hector Rodriguez went 3-10, but he didn’t walk or have an extra-base hit in there, giving him a .300/.300/.300 line in his eight games with the Reds this spring.
Cam Collier went 1-8 in his eight games. The 20-year-old did double for his one hit, and he walked three times while also striking out three times. Edwin Arroyo went 3-16 with all three of his hits being singles. Ivan Johnson went 2-8 and he drove in two runs. Michael Trautwein went 1-6 with a double in his four games played. And Jose Acuna, the lone pitcher that was cut today, allowed five runs on three homers in 4.0 innings.
All six of the players that were cut today were non-roster invitees to big league camp. Ivan Johnson likely had the best chance among the group to actually make the big league club and he didn’t really seem like he was being considered much for a job. With his versatility and success at the Triple-A level, there was a small, but outside chance that things could have worked out for him if everything had gone just right. It didn’t, though, and he’ll be back in the minor leagues to begin the year – almost assuredly in Triple-A with the Louisville Bats.
Michael Trautwein could find himself in either Double-A or Triple-A depending on how some other roster things go at the catcher position. Jose Acuna, who saw limited time in both Double-A Chattanooga and in Louisville last season as he returned from injury, could also find himself at either of the two levels depending on how everything goes over the next few weeks. The others should all begin their season in Double-A with the Lookouts.
The initial version of this article did not include the news of Chase Burns being sent to minor league came as the other six moves were made about five hours prior to the move to also send Burns down on Wednesday.