Zach Buchanan | Cincinnati Enquirer

The Blog Above Replacement a daily look at the Cincinnati Reds, their minor leagues and whatever else is on the mind of Enquirer Reds beat writers, C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan. You can follow them on Twitter (@ctrent and @ZachENQ), Facebook (C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan) and Instagram (ENQReds).

I couldn't work it into my off-day story yesterday, but I asked Reds general manager Dick Williams about possible extension candidates. He was intentionally vague, but here's what he said:

“I think we’ve got a bunch of good young guys on the cusp of arbitration or just getting into the process that we’d look at trying to find an agreeable deal.”

Of course, Williams didn't want to talk specifics. But the Reds will have six guys who are arbitration-eligible this offseason. Billy Hamilton and Scooter Gennett will be in their second year of arb, and Anthony DeSclafani, Tucker Barnhart, Michael Lorenzen and Eugenio Suarez will enter the process for the first time.

So who among that group – and who among the team's pre-arb players – makes the most sense to extend? Here's my own personal ranking, from what makes the most sense to what makes the least.

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1. Tucker Barnhart. This has as much to do with Barnhart's solid play behind the plate as the Reds' lack of catching depth going forward. Devin Mesoraco will end the year on the disabled list and next year will be his last under contract. The team will have Stuart Turner and Chad Wallach in the minors, but their higher-caliber catching prospects are further away and have dealt with injury (Tyler Stephenson) or poor performance at the plate (Chris Okey). Barnhart's not the type of hitter who will run up an expensive arbitration tab, but buying out all three years of arb and maybe a couple free-agent years might make sense. Then again, there is no reason this has to happen now.

2. Billy Hamilton. Hamilton will be two years away from free agency and has now spent four full seasons struggling to build consistency at the plate. Some financial security might be attractive to him because of that. As for the Reds, if they like him so much to keep batting him leadoff, they would theoretically want him to stick around. The Reds don't really have another true center fielder until you get to Jose Siri in Low-A.

3. Eugenio Suarez. If Suarez is going to keep shooting up in performance, it might behoove the Reds to work something out with him this offseason instead of going year-to-year with him in arbitration. The presence of Nick Senzel in Triple-A isn't much of a factor. One of them could always move to second base.

4. Adam Duvall. Duvall isn't in arbitration yet, but when he hits it he'll make some dough. Counting stats like homers and RBI pay out in arbitration. He's been an impact defender in left, and approaching him about a deal now might get the Reds a discount. However, the presence of Scott Schebler and Jesse Winker might make Duvall a more attractive trade candidate if the Reds decide the want to deal from the major-league roster.

5. Scooter Gennett. Two factors make this a not-as-likely scenario, from my perspective. First, Gennett has never done anything like this before. Trying to extend him after a breakout year means a higher price tag and a bigger risk that you wind up overpaying for what might be an outlier season. The second factor is Senzel. Dilson Herrera may wind up being a flop, but Senzel can play second. There's not as much of an organizational hole there as some might think.

6. Anthony DeSclafani. DeSclafani's injury issues – especially because the elbow is involved – would make this a risky move. That risk would me mitigated by a lower price tag, but I'm not sure I've seen a pitcher get extended after missing an entire season.

7. Michael Lorenzen. The Reds would probably want to wait and see what Lorenzen is – a starter or a reliever, and if he can turn things around after a frustrating season on the mound – before committing long-term money to him.

ICYMI

- If the Reds want to make an impact move to add pitching, they'll have to spend more than they did this year, or trade someone valuable.

Minor-league roundup

Triple-A: Louisville 4, Indianapolis 3. RHP Luke Farrell gave up three runs in five innings. LF Adam Brett Walker homered. [Box]

Double-A: Pensacola 3, Mississippi 2. RHP Austin Ross allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 1.89. 1B Gavin LaValley doubled and drew two walks, and Nick Senzel missed another game due to illness. [Box]

High-A: Palm Beach 8, Daytona 3. RHP Wyatt Strahan allowed five runs in five innings. SS Luis Gonzalez and 1B James Vasquez each went 3 for 5. [Box]

Low-A: Dayton 6, Great Lakes 3. RHP Andrew Jordan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings. He walked none and struck out seven. CF Taylor Trammell went 1 for 3 with two walks and stole his 40th base of the year. [Box]

Rookie-Advanced: Billings 6, Helena 1. LHP Packy Naughton allowed just four hits and one earned run over five innings. He walked one and struck out five. 2B/3B Alejo Lopez tripled. [Box]

And since you made it this far...

- Art Briles is learning he can't outrun the stain on his reputation from his negligence at Baylor. Until he is actually open and contrite about his mistakes and screwed-up priorities at Baylor, he shouldn't even sniff another job in football.

- I'm not sure how I feel about a Memphis theater deciding to no longer have its annual showing of Gone with the Wind. I'm all for removing Confederate monuments, but the movie is 80 years old. You're supposed to appreciate its artistic value while putting its social values in historical context. It's the same way you can enjoy Breakfast at Tiffany's but still think, "Holy crap, that Mickey Rooney character is racist as hell."

- The Bengals traded a linebacker, but not the one whose name is in the headlines so much.