With the departure of All-Star shortstop Zack Cozart the Cincinnati Reds needed to add a back-up infielder. The Reds brought in several non-roster players to battle for the role. They also added a pair of prospects to their forty man roster.
This off-season, the Reds added second basemen Shed Long and Alex Blandino to their forty man roster. They are both in the Reds’ top thirty of prospects with Long at seven and Blandino at twenty-five. Long, though, only batted .167 this spring before the Reds sent him to minor league camp.
Blandino on the other hand looked like a player ready to contribute to the major league team this spring.