TJ Friedl

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.