Spencer Steer

Stewart has reportedly lost over 20 pounds this offseason and is expected to focus primarily on playing first base this spring with defensive stalwart Ke'Bryan Hayes occupying the hot corner in Cincinnati. The 22-year-old power-hitting prospect has a chance to be an immediate four-category impact fantasy producer after slashing a robust .309/.383/.524 with 20 homers and 17 steals in 494 plate appearances between Double-A Dayton and Triple-A Louisville last season. He'll compete with incumbent Spencer Steer for the starting job at first base but there's a clear path to everyday at-bats at DH after the Reds jettisoned Gavin Lux earlier this month. Stewart projects as an immediate 20-homer, 10-steal threat, which makes him an intriguing late-round selection in fantasy drafts this spring. He's a top-20 overall prospect for dynasty purposes.

Friedl and Spencer Steer are both eligible for arbitration for the first time, but Friedl is settling $200,000 less than Steer, even though he's coming of the better season and is at 8.1 career fWAR, versus 4.5 for Steer. Freidl hit .261/.364/.378 in 685 plate appearances as the Reds' starting center fielder and leadoff man last season. It looks like he'll carry both roles into 2026; there was some talk of bringing in a center fielder and moving him to left, but it seems the team considers him the better center field option than newcomer JJ Bleday.

Steer is very much in line to be the Reds' first baseman once again, even though he's regressed offensively and just doesn't seem like a very good option at this point. Aided by his home ballpark, he did wind up a sort-of-respectable .238/.312/.411 line last season. However, with his subpar exit velocity numbers, Statcast gave him just a .220 xBA and a .355 xSLG. Because of his ballpark and the possibility that he'll hit cleanup, he could be a fantasy contributor in shallow leagues if he only bounces back a little bit. Alternatively, he could be overtaken by Sal Stewart, who has to play somewhere, and/or Christian Encarnacion-Strand if he doesn't get off to a nice start.