CINCINNATI -- Now part of a franchise tradition that spans 150 years, center fielder Nick Senzel isn’t the first highly anticipated player to make his Major League debut with the Reds, and he certainly won’t be the last. Senzel, Cincinnati's top prospect and the No. 5 prospect overall per MLB

CINCINNATI -- Now part of a franchise tradition that spans 150 years, center fielder Nick Senzel isn’t the first highly anticipated player to make his Major League debut with the Reds, and he certainly won’t be the last.

Senzel, Cincinnati's top prospect and the No. 5 prospect overall per MLB Pipeline, was promoted ahead of tonight's 7:10 p.m. ET series opener vs. the Giants at Great American Ball Park. It will be made available as the MLB.TV Free Game of the Day.

Here is a quick look at several other former Reds who brought plenty of buzz ahead their first game for the club in the big leagues:

LHP Aroldis Chapman, Aug. 31, 2010

Chapman signed a six-year, $30.25 million contract after he defected from Cuba, and a lot of attention focused on the electric arm that routinely could fire fastballs at 100-plus mph. The left-hander proved to be as advertised. Chapman’s Major League career began with a 1-2-3 eighth inning during a win over the Brewers, and he struck out his first batter, Jonathan Lucroy, on four pitches. Less than a month later, on Sept. 24, Chapman threw a record 105.1 mph pitch to Tony Gwynn Jr. in San Diego.

RF Jay Bruce, May 27, 2008

The 12th overall selection in the 2005 MLB Draft, Bruce was the No. 1 prospect according to Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus when he came up as a fresh-faced 21-year-old. The lefty hitter went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in his debut vs. the Pirates and became a cornerstone member of the team until a '16 Trade Deadline deal to the Mets. Bruce, who hit a signature walk-off home run that clinched the '10 National League Central division title, was part of three playoff clubs with Cincinnati.

OF Josh Hamilton, April 2, 2007

A huge story of redemption after years of drug use and suspensions after he was the overall No. 1 pick of the Devil Rays in 1999, Hamilton was available to be plucked in the 2006 Rule 5 Draft upon his reinstatement by MLB. He debuted on Opening Day '07 with a pinch-hitting appearance against the Cubs where he lined out to left-center field. Hamilton slashed .292/.368/.554 with 19 homers and 47 RBIs as a rookie but was limited to 90 games because of injuries. Cincinnati decided to buy low and sell high when it dealt Hamilton to the Rangers after the season for starting pitcher Edinson Volquez and reliever Daniel Ray Herrera. Hamilton went on to be a five-time All-Star for Texas and was the '10 American League MVP.

SS Barry Larkin, Aug. 13, 1986

The fourth overall pick in 1985 and a Cincinnati native, Larkin debuted as a pinch-hitter vs. the Giants and hit an RBI groundout to the shortstop. That would be the start of a career that carried Larkin into the Hall of Fame in 2012. Eventually, he unseated Reds great Davey Concepcion, who moved from shortstop to third base and became the unquestioned leader of the team. Larkin was an 11-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner who helped take the team through its wire-to-wire World Series-winning 1990 season. In 1995, when the Reds again reached the postseason, he was voted NL MVP.

C Johnny Bench, Aug. 28, 1967

A second-round pick in 1965 out of tiny Binger, Okla., Bench’s Hall of Fame career began on Aug. 28, 1967, as a 19-year-old backstop. He went 0-for-3 vs. the Phillies. It was a quiet beginning, but Bench would become a national sensation throughout his 17-year career and many still feel he is baseball’s all-time best catcher. Part of the Big Red Machine era, Bench was the ’68 NL Rookie of the Year, a two-time NL MVP, 14-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove Award winner and participated in four World Series – including helping the Reds win back-to-back titles in 1975-76.

2B/3B/OF/1B Pete Rose, Apr. 8, 1963

A Cincinnati native who became baseball’s all-time leader with 4,256 hits over a 24-year career, Rose went hitless in three at-bats with a walk and run scored on Opening Day 1963 vs. the Pirates. A 21-year-old at the time, Rose spent decades as one of baseball’s most recognized players for his infinite effort and hustle on the field. It was epitomized with his brutal home-plate collision with catcher Ray Fosse to get the winning run in the '70 All-Star Game, played in Cincinnati. Rose’s career achievements were bountiful as he was the '63 NL Rookie of the Year, the '73 NL MVP and the World Series MVP in '75. He also won three batting titles. Rose appeared in four World Series for Cincinnati – including ’75 and ’76 -- and two more for the Phillies, in '80 and ’83. Rose returned to his hometown in '84 as player/manager and surpassed Ty Cobb as baseball's "Hit King" in '85.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook.