Press Clippings January 23, 2018

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY

1992-The Reds sign Scott Bankhead of the Mariners as a free-agent. Bankhead will spend one season with the Reds, collecting a 10-4 record, with a 2.93 ERA in 70.2 innings pitched, allowing just four home runs

MLB.COM Senzel named No. 2 third base prospect Highly-touted player set to experiment with SS/2B, outfield in By Mark Sheldon MLB.com @m_sheldon 12:48 AM ET

CINCINNATI -- was an elite and highly anticipated prospect the moment the Reds selected him with the second overall pick in 2016. That latest accolade was revealed on Tuesday when Senzel was ranked as the No. 2 third baseman in the Minor Leagues by MLB Pipeline.

Senzel, 22, placed one spot behind the No. 1 third baseman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays.

Ranked No. 1 in the organization by MLB Pipeline, and No. 9 in all of MLB, Senzel batted .321/.391/.514 with 14 home runs and 65 RBIs in 119 games combined last season at Advanced Daytona and Double-A Pensacola. He missed a few games in the final week while being treated for vertigo, but has overcome the issue through therapy.

One of the bigger questions facing Senzel and the Reds this season is whether he will actually get to play third base. Cincinnati is happy with Eugenio Suarez there and plans to have Senzel show off some versatility in Spring Training.

At his first big league camp, Senzel will get opportunities to play shortstop and second base -- positions he previously played as an amateur -- and will get his first exposure to the outfield. The club believes his time in the big leagues can begin similarly to former Reds star , who played multiple infield and outfield positions before finding a home at third base.

"I want him to help our ballclub, but I also want him to do it at a position where he's comfortable doing what he does," Reds manager said in December. "I think I need to build up a stronger familiarity with him to create my own opinions of where he's best suited or if he is a multi-positional asset to our club."

Senzel has only played third base since turning professional following his college career at the Univ. of Tennessee.

"When opportunities and challenges present themselves, especially on the field, they're exciting," Senzel said in December. "It's some different positions I've never played before, especially left and right field. It could create some opportunity for me. I'm just going to go out there and try to get some guidance from people who know what they're talking about and play [the position] to the best of my ability."

Senzel is expected to begin the 2018 season at Triple-A Louisville -- likely in part with an eye towards service time for free agency. But his bat -- and versatility -- could always force the issue to promote him and leave the Reds with no choice but to find a spot for him in their lineup.

MLB Pipeline compiles its lists with input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors. Lists are based on analysis of players' skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams.

Senzel is the third Reds prospect to land in the Top 10 lists by position. was named last week as the eighth-best right-handed . Shed Long was ranked No. 6 for second basemen on Monday.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Five Reds among 's Top 100 prospects Dave Clark, [email protected] Published 2:43 p.m. ET Jan. 22, 2018

Five prospects currently in the Cincinnati Reds' system - Nick Senzel (7), Hunter Greene (29), Taylor Trammell (48), (90) and (98) - are on Baseball America’s Top 100 overall prospect list, released Monday.

Senzel moved up two spots from No. 9 a year ago to No. 7. Greene, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, made his debut on the list, as did Trammell and Mahle, while Winker returned to the Top 100 after being ranked No. 47 in 2015 and No. 51 in 2016 but falling out of the Top 100 last year.

Former Madeira High School standout , who finished second this past season in American League Rookie of the Year voting, topped the Top 100 a year ago.

Reds Cody Reed (69) and (81) also appeared in last year's Top 100.

Nick Senzel, Hunter Greene atop Baseball America's Reds top 10 rankings

Transactions

01/22/18 Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster C Chadwick Tromp to spring training. San Francisco Giants signed free agent CF Austin Jackson. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Barrett Astin to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Jimmy Herget to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Tanner Rainey to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster C Joe Hudson to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster 2B Brandon Dixon to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster 3B Nick Senzel to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster LF Darnell Sweeney to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RF Sebastian Elizalde to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Rafael De Paula to spring training. invited non-roster RHP Tyler Eppler to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster RHP Yeudy Garcia to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster RHP Damien Magnifico to spring training. claimed LHP Buddy Boshers off waivers from . signed free agent C Jack Murphy to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Cleveland Indians signed free agent LHP Adam Wilk to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. invited non-roster RHP Connor Walsh to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster C Seby Zavala to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster RHP Jordan Stephens to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster OF Luis Robert to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster OF Jacob May to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster RHP to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster RHP Alec Hansen to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster LHP Jordan Guerrero to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster C Alfredo Gonzalez to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster RHP to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster C to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster LHP Brian Clark to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster RHP Dylan Cease to spring training. Chicago White Sox invited non-roster 3B to spring training. Chicago White Sox signed free agent 1B Matt Skole to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Chicago White Sox signed free agent 3B Patrick Leonard to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Chicago White Sox signed free agent LHP TJ House to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Chicago White Sox signed free agent RHP Michael Ynoa to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Chicago White Sox signed free agent RHP Chris Volstad to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Chicago White Sox signed free agent RHP Rob Scahill to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Chicago Cubs signed free agent LHP Brian Duensing. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster CF Bryan Reynolds to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster CF Jason Martin to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster 3B Eric Wood to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster 2B Erich Weiss to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster SS Cole Tucker to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster 2B Pablo Reyes to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster SS Kevin Newman to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster 2B Kevin Kramer to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent C Ryan Lavarnway to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster C Christian Kelley to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster C Jin-De Jhang to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster RHP Casey Sadler to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster RHP Brett McKinney to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates invited non-roster RHP Alex McRae to spring training.

01/20/18 signed free agent RHP Hernando Mejia to a minor league contract. Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent RHP Oliver Mateo to a minor league contract. Cleveland Indians signed free agent RHP Robert Cruz to a minor league contract. Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent RHP Linse Carvajal to a minor league contract.