Photo: Doug Gray
While pitchers and catchers had to report to Goodyear, Arizona on Monday, position players aren’t required to be there until Saturday unless they are playing in the World Baseball Classic. That doesn’t mean that they can’t show up earlier if they choose to, though. And more than a few guys chose to.
While Redleg Nation isn’t on the ground in Arizona, it’s 2026 and everyone has a camera in their pocket and can send that video to everyone in the world in a matter of seconds. And that includes the Cincinnati Reds themselves. They’ve shared plenty of clips and photos over the first two days of spring training and it’s featured several position players who aren’t required to be there just yet.
Outfielders TJ Friedl, Will Benson, and Blake Dunn were all spotted. Infielders Sal Stewart, Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, and Leo Balcazar (added to the 40-man roster in November, played 2025 with High-A Dayton in the first half and Double-A Chattanooga in the second half) were also seen at the spring training facility.
Another World Baseball Classic Note
Last week we learned that six players from the Cincinnati Reds organization would be playing in the World Baseball Classic next month. From the 40-man roster you’ve got Eugenio Suarez (Venezuela) and Edwin Arroyo (Puerto Rico). Then there are four players from the minor leagues who will be representing their countries – Infielders Ivan Johnson (Great Britain) and Alexander Vargas (Cuba) and pitchers David Lorduy (Colombia) and Ryjeteri Merite (Netherlands).
But teams have also prepared themselves a list of “backup” players in case there are injuries or other reasons to replace a player between today and the start of the tournament. They are also eligible to join their country’s team the 1st round or the quarterfinals. That’s where another Reds minor league player comes in. Irvin Machuca, who signed with the team on a minor league contract in January of 2025. He had been pitching professionally in Mexico since 2019 before joining Cincinnati’s farm system. The right-handed pitcher is one of six pitchers listed for Team Mexico. He’s the only Red listed among what is being called the Designated Pitcher Pool for the WBC.