With the Rule 5 Draft hanging in limbo, the Reds still have some roster housekeeping to do. Even if the event gets pushed back because of the expected December 1 lockout and the likely cancellation of the Winter Meetings, teams are still going to act like the deadline pressure is real. For Cincinnati, that means deciding which prospects are worth protecting on the 40-man roster.
A few names stand out as obvious candidates to get added, and a few more could sneak in as surprise choices.
Carter Graham looks like the safest bet of the bunch. The Reds infielder is currently with the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, and while he hasn’t yet settled in there, his season in the minors was strong enough to keep him firmly on the organization’s radar.
Graham hit 29 homers in 2026 and finished with a .565 slugging percentage and a 151 wRC+. He could make his MLB debut next season.
Another player trending toward a roster spot is Jay Allen II. He’s one of the most athletic prospects in the system, and this past season finally looked like the one where it all started to come together for him. The 23-year-old split time between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville and put up a .267/.364/.438 line, making him a strong candidate to join the Reds later this winter.
Carlos Sanchez is a little less flashy but has put together a résumé that can’t be ignored. The shortstop prospect has been working in the Arizona Fall League to build on his profile, but his minor league production already gives him a case: .270/.376/.440 with 16 home runs, 23 stolen bases, and a 113 wRC+. He’s been flying a bit under the radar despite the Reds having plenty of shortstop depth, but he may be good enough to earn a 40-man spot anyway.
On the pitching side, Cody Adcock could force the issue. The late-round pick from 2023 has shown he can miss bats at every level, and last season he posted a 31.3% strikeout rate.
The downside was command, as he also walked 14.9% of batters faced. Even so, the Reds value arms like that - the kind that can generate swing and miss - so he shouldn’t be ruled out as an offseason addition.
Bryce Hubbart also fits the profile of a pitcher Cincinnati may want to protect. Injuries have slowed the former high draft pick, and he appeared in 25 games this season.
His 7.16 ERA stands out for the wrong reasons, but he was still punching out more than 11 batters per nine innings. That combination can attract attention, and it’s the sort of upside another club could try to grab.
The trickiest call of all may be Cam Collier. He has the pedigree and draft status, but his power took a noticeable step back this season, which makes his long-term outlook a little harder to pin down. He’s the real wild card among the Rule 5 eligible group, though that doesn’t mean Cincinnati is ready to walk away from the 21-year-old.
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