The infield was a big reason for the Reds disappointing 2024 season. Regarded as the clubs strength entering Spring Training, it thinned quickly when suffered a shoulder injury and was hit with a PED suspension. By the end of camp, the Reds needed to trade for utilityman to backfill depth. Cincinnati infielders hit .243/.313/.409 last season, which ranked 20th in park-adjusted offense. Thats despite a superstar performance at shortstop from . Their .236/.303/.384 slash from the other three infield spots placed fifth from the bottom by measure of wRC+. Only the White Sox, Pirates, Rockies and Angels got le s out of those positions. McLain is back and will be the everyday second baseman, which Cincinnati ensured with the / swap at the beginning of the offseason. De La Cruz is obviously locked in at shortstop. The corner infield is much more up in the air. Signing theoretically allows new manager Terry Francona to bring back onto the dirt as his primary first baseman. That decision may depend on whos playing the hot corner, which is arguably the key question for the Reds to sort out this spring. was the unquestioned starter this time a year ago. Cincinnati inked the switch-hitter to a three-year, $45MM free agent deal. He was coming off a .251/.336/.471 showing between the Nationals and Cubs. That marked Candelarios third strong season within the last four years. The Reds expected that to continue. Instead, he hit .225/.279/.429 during his first season in Cincinnati. While he connected on 20 homers, he had a career-worst walk rate (5.8%) and on-base percentage. Candelario also graded poorly defensively, leading to a sub-replacement level performance. Candelarios roster spot isnt in jeopardy. His performance was probably impacted by a knee i sue through which he played for a good chunk of last season. The Reds wouldnt have cut bait after one season of a three-year deal even if hed simply underperformed while at full health. That said, theyre le s likely to stick with him as a regular third baseman if he doesnt turn things around quickly. That presumably played a role in the trade. Cincinnati acquired the former top prospect from the Dodgers for outfield prospect and the 41st pick in the upcoming draft. After mi sing all of 2023 to an ACL tear, Lux had a league average .251/.320/.383 slash with 10 homers in 487 plate appearances last season. The in-season splits were dramatic. Lux had a terrible first half, caught fire coming out of the All-Star Break, then didnt hit during L.A.s World Series run. The second half numbers might hint at a greater offensive ceiling, but hes nearly 1500 plate appearances into his career and has been an average hitter (.252/.326/.383). Average offensive production would be an upgrade over what Candelario provided last season. The bigger question is whether Lux can handle third base. He moved off shortstop because of throwing accuracy concerns. Lux didnt start a game anywhere other than second base last year. He has six career innings as a third baseman from one game in 2021 (in which he made two throwing errors). He hasnt started a regular season game on Mason Miller Jersey the left side of the infield in four years. wrote last week that the Reds intend to move Lux around the infield during Spring Training. He could eventually see time in the outfield as well, though Francona indicated theyd have him solely on the infield at the beginning of camp. Lux and Francona each expre sed confidence in his ability to make all the nece sary throws, though thats obviously something hell need to continue to prove in games. Lux has minor league options remaining, but the Reds wouldnt have given up two decent a sets and taken on a $3.325MM arbitration salary if they didnt expect him playing a key role. Hell be on the MLB roster. If thats not as the regular third baseman, hed bounce around in a utility capacity and potentially work as a designated hitter. Cincinnatis bench is otherwise heavily right-handed, so Luxs lefty bat could provide balance. Marte and have le s established MLB roster spots. They were each highly-touted prospects, Marte in particular, whose stocks tanked in 2024. Marte was banned for the seasons first 80 games after testing positive for Boldenone. He had a terrible second half upon his reinstatement. He hit .210/.248/.301 with a 31% strikeout rate and a meager 3.7% walk percentage over 242 plate appearances. Hell need to dramatically hone in his plate discipline to tap into the power that made him a top prospect. At 23 years old, hes far from finished, but its tough to see him winning an MLB job out of camp. Encarnacion-Strand had an impre sive half-season in 2023. He hit 13 homers with a .270/.328/.477 slash as a rookie. That earned him the Opening Day first base job last year. His season never really got off the ground. Encarnacion-Strand hit .190 with a .220 OBP over 29 games. A fracture in his right hand sent him to the injured list in early May. He attempted to rehab but required season-ending surgery six weeks later. Its easy to write last year off as an injury-related anomaly, but hes an unlikely long-term answer at third base. Prospect evaluators have panned his defense, with most projecting him as a first baseman. Even if he gets back on track offensively, hes likely to see most of his action at first or DH. The Reds have a few other third base options none of whom are likely to push for the job early in the season. Espinal is back as a glove-first infielder. His .247/.300/.348 slash over the past two years points to a utility role. Cincinnati selected from the As in the Rule 5 draft. He has been a second baseman for most of his career and has 53 profe sional innings at the hot corner. Even if he sticks on the MLB roster, itd be in a developmental capacity. Steer and each played third in the minors but moved off the position for defensive reasons. Prospect is on the 40-man roster but has only four career Triple-A games. How will the Reds divvy up playing time at the hot corner this season? Who Will Lead The Reds In Third Base Innings In 2025? Jeimer Candelario. 52.42% (1,855votes) Gavin Lux. 21.22% (751votes) Noelvi Marte. 15.57% (551votes) Christian Encarnacion-Strand. 8.28% (293votes) Other (specify in comments). 2.51% (89votes) Total Votes: 3,539 Mark Mcgwire Jersey