The Reds’ original “core four” was supposed to be the foundation of something big. In 2023, Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte and Christian Encarnacion-Strand all looked like the group that would carry Cincinnati forward after each had made noise in the minors the year before and reached the majors that same season.
That plan has mostly gone sideways. De La Cruz remains the exception.
McLain’s sophomore year was wrecked by injury, and he has not been the same since. Marte has shifted from third base to right field and is now splitting time with rookie Héctor Rodríguez.
Encarnacion-Strand is no longer in the organization after being DFA’d earlier this year.
But the Reds may be building another wave of talent, and this one is starting to look intriguing in the lower levels.
Justin Lebron, Cincinnati’s 2026 first-round pick, made his professional debut on Tuesday with the Dayton Dragons and went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored. He wasn’t the only fresh face in the lineup.
Eric Becker, another Reds selection from July’s draft, was also in Dayton’s order after debuting last week. The infielder has three hits in his first five games, and one of them left the yard.
Tyson Lewis has already been around the organization for a bit after going in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft. Originally a shortstop, he’s now working at third base, and the move up from Low-A to High-A has gone well so far. Lewis is hitting .279/.321/.465 with six home runs and 14 RBI.
Down in Daytona, another top Reds pick from the 2026 MLB Draft also announced himself in a hurry. Former UCLA slugger Mulivai Levu made his professional debut Tuesday night for the Daytona Tortugas and launched a two-run homer in a 7-6 win over the Palm Beach Cardinals.
It’s far too early to stamp any of these players as future big-league pieces. Each one has a long climb ahead and plenty to clean up along the way. Still, the Reds have reason to imagine something interesting taking shape in the system.
And if Alfredo Duno keeps developing behind the plate, Cincinnati might have something special brewing in the minors.
In Other News...
Reds Bench Problem Is Fueling A Late Season Call Up Debate
The Reds bench has become one of those late-season areas that can quietly shape whether a club stays afloat or gets left behind. With the lineup looking for more thump and the reserves offering limited punch, the conversation has turned toward finding a bat that can change an at-bat in a hurry, especially from the left side.
Michael Toglia has emerged as a natural name in that discussion because of what he has done at Triple-A Louisville and because he has already seen the majors with the Rockies. The idea is simple enough: Cincinnati could use a more dangerous power option off the bench than the pieces it is currently leaning on, even if this remains more of a speculative roster fit than a move that is actually imminent. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Lodolo Is Back As Reds Make Another High Stakes Roster Move
Nick Lodolo is back in the fold for the Reds after the club activated the left-hander from the 15-day injured list following a rehab assignment, giving Cincinnati another important arm as it tries to navigate the stretch run. The move comes at a moment when the rotation has already been forced to absorb a major loss, and it adds a fresh layer to a roster that keeps getting tested by health and depth concerns.
Cincinnati also brought first baseman Michael Toglia onto the active roster from Triple-A Louisville, while reliever Zach McCambley was optioned back to Louisville to make the moves work. Lodolo is set to step into Hunter Greenes rotation spot, and with Greene now on the shelf, the Reds are once again adjusting on the fly as they try to keep enough pitching in place to stay on track. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Burke Just Became Part Of A Bigger Reds Bullpen Debate
Brock Burke has quietly turned himself into one of the few steady answers in a Reds bullpen that has otherwise spent too much of the season searching for traction. Since settling in as a reliever, he has posted a 2.73 ERA and earned the kind of high-leverage work that tells you the coaching staff trusts him when the game gets tight. For a club trying to sort out its relief picture, that matters.
It also puts Burke squarely in the middle of a bigger offseason conversation. Cincinnatis bullpen has been one of the weaker units in the league, and rebuilding it is clearly going to be a priority, even with Tejay Antone and Emilio Pagan also turning in solid work. In that context, keeping Burke around is not just about preserving one useful arm, but about protecting one of the few pieces already pointing the right way. [Read more 🡒]