Tuesday turned out to be one of the busiest and most chaotic days of the entire Major League Baseball offseason, and the Cincinnati Reds found themselves at the center of a flurry of activity. The day carried significant weight because it marked the final opportunity for organizations to protect eligible minor-league players from being selected in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft, which is set to take place next month during the annual MLB winter meetings.
By 4 p.m. ET, every team had to make difficult decisions about which prospects were essential enough to add to the 40-man roster—decisions that often reflect both immediate value and long-term organizational strategy.
For the Reds, the situation was particularly tight. They had several young players they considered too valuable to risk exposing to other clubs. Ultimately, Cincinnati determined that three promising prospects—shortstop Edwin Arroyo, outfielder Héctor Rodríguez, and infielder Leonardo Balcazar—were priority additions who needed to be shielded from Rule 5 Draft eligibility. All three players were officially placed onto the 40-man roster, as confirmed by the Major League Baseball transaction logs released on Tuesday evening.
Each of the three prospects holds a solid reputation within the organization and among evaluators outside the franchise. Arroyo, a slick-fielding shortstop with an advanced glove for his age, is widely viewed as one of the team’s more athletic infielders. His defensive ability alone gives him a path toward a major-league future, but the Reds also see growing upside in his offensive game.
Rodríguez, a talented outfielder with speed and a promising bat, has steadily climbed Cincinnati’s internal rankings since arriving in the organization. His combination of athleticism and developing power makes him an intriguing long-term piece who could contribute in several roles.
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Balcazar, meanwhile, has impressed scouts with his solid all-around tools, defensive versatility, and mature approach at the plate for a young infielder. While none of the three are guaranteed to become full-time major leaguers, the Reds believe their developmental paths and overall ceilings are worth protecting.
Beyond their value to the team’s future roster, these players also hold potential trade value, especially with the July trade deadline always looming as a window for clubs to patch holes or pursue upgrades. Ensuring that Arroyo, Rodríguez, and Balcazar remained with the organization keeps Cincinnati’s farm system strong and gives the front office more flexibility during future negotiations.
But protecting three prospects presented a logistical challenge. Cincinnati entered Tuesday with only two available spots on its 40-man roster. That meant that in order to accommodate all three additions, someone currently on the roster would have to be let go. These are the types of decisions front offices dread, as they often require parting with a player who has been a contributor or has entrenched himself within the system.
The player who ended up on the wrong side of the numbers crunch was right-handed pitcher Carson Spiers, who was designated for assignment (DFA) after spending more than three years on Cincinnati’s major-league roster. The move, listed in the official transactions report, closed a long chapter for Spiers with the organization.
Spiers, now 28 years old, has had an up-and-down run with the Reds. Over the course of his time in Cincinnati, he posted a 5.69 ERA in 29 total big-league appearances. His performance this past season didn’t help his case—the right-hander allowed nine earned runs in just 13⅓ innings, a stretch that raised concerns about his reliability moving forward. While he still retains two minor-league options, giving the Reds potential roster flexibility, durability and consistency were major issues. His 2025 season was largely derailed by a shoulder impingement that kept him sidelined for most of the year, forcing Cincinnati to rely on other depth arms instead.
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Given the circumstances, the Reds front office appears to have determined that their pitching depth—between more promising prospects and more reliable veterans—no longer justified keeping Spiers in one of the limited roster spots. Removing him from the 40-man roster gives the team the ability to carry younger talent with perhaps higher upside or more immediate versatility.
For Spiers, the DFA marks the end of a journey that began more than five and a half years ago when he first entered the Reds organization. He worked his way up through the minor-league system, made it to the big leagues, and now finds himself facing a crossroads.
Should he clear waivers, he could stay within the organization in a non-roster capacity, though it seems more likely another club may take a chance on him as a low-risk pitching depth option. Sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what a struggling pitcher needs—new coaching voices, different organizational philosophies, and fresh opportunities can all breathe life into a career.
From Cincinnati’s perspective, the day’s moves must still feel productive, even if not easy. Protecting three prospects signals confidence in the direction of the farm system and a belief that these young players may contribute meaningfully in the near future. With the Reds continuing to retool and build toward becoming a more consistent postseason contender, maintaining strong internal depth is a critical part of that strategy.
It will be fascinating to monitor the progress of Arroyo, Rodríguez, and Balcazar over the coming season. Each player is at a point in their development where a breakout year could propel them into the conversation for a call-up. Arroyo’s elite defensive instincts could land him in the big-league infield sooner than expected, especially if injuries or performance issues create openings.
Rodríguez is the type of athletic outfielder who could force his way onto the roster with a hot start in Triple-A, and his ability to play multiple outfield spots only increases his value. Balcazar, though perhaps the furthest away developmentally, might find opportunities as a utility infielder if his bat continues to progress.
None of this is guaranteed, of course. Many top prospects take years to reach the majors, and plenty never fully achieve the potential projected for them. But for the Reds, simply protecting these three players was the right move—both from a baseball standpoint and a roster management perspective.
Their inclusion on the 40-man roster keeps them active within the organization’s long-term pipeline and prevents other teams from plucking them away for free in the Rule 5 Draft. Cincinnati has experienced firsthand how painful it can be to lose young talent too early, and the front office appears determined not to repeat that mistake.
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The Rule 5 Draft itself often doesn’t generate headlines, but its significance is well-known among MLB executives. It exists to prevent teams from stockpiling talent in the minors without giving players opportunities to advance. For the Reds, navigating the draft rules effectively is essential, especially as they continue to invest heavily in player development. Adding these three prospects was a statement that Cincinnati believes in its youth movement and wants to preserve the pieces it views as foundational to the organization’s next competitive window.
As for the ripple effects, the decision to DFA Spiers is a reminder of how competitive and unforgiving roster management can be. Teams must constantly juggle present needs with future projections. While Spiers provided value at times, the Reds seem confident that other pitchers—either homegrown or acquired—can fill the roles he once occupied. Young pitchers like Connor Phillips, Chase Petty, or even international signees in the lower minors may now stand closer to future opportunities because of these moves.
In the coming months, Cincinnati will continue shaping its roster through free agency, trades, and internal evaluations. But protecting these three prospects is a strong early signal that the Reds intend to prioritize growth, maintain flexibility, and prepare for a potential leap forward. Fans should take it as a sign that the franchise is committed to its long-term plan and unwilling to lose valuable assets at a critical stage of development.
Whether Arroyo, Rodríguez, or Balcazar make an impact at the major-league level in 2026 remains to be seen, but their presence on the 40-man roster gives them a clearer path. And while Carson Spiers’s departure marks the end of one chapter, it opens doors for others—and for him, perhaps a new chance elsewhere.
In short, Tuesday’s whirlwind of moves reflected a broader theme of the Reds’ offseason: protecting the future, making tough choices, and preparing for the next step in the franchise’s evolution.
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