Zach Buchanan

zbuchanan@enquirer.com

Both Ryan Mattheus and Pedro Villarreal were a bit stunned when the Cincinnati Reds chose not to tender them contracts this winter. Despite putting together solid years in the bullpen in 2015, the pair was cut loose after the season as the team steered into the curve of its youth movement.

Both are back in camp on minor-league deals, hoping their track record and experience gives them a bit of an edge. The 32-year-old Mattheus had a 4.09 ERA last year and has been a big-leaguer for most of the past five seasons. Villarreal, 28, had a 3.42 ERA in his first full year in the majors.

“I’ve seen the highest of highs, pitching in the playoffs in a really good bullpen, and the lows, being sent down out of the bullpen,” Mattheus. “I think my experience can help a lot of these young guys. As far as it helps me with my case making the team, that’s to be seen.”

Projecting the Reds’ bullpen mix is difficult precisely because how many young, unproven pitchers are involved. Veteran J.J. Hoover will take over as closer, and Jumbo Diaz has at least spent most of a full year in the majors.

Beyond them are a bunch of guys with no track records, including several starting pitcher prospects who could end up in bullpen roles if the team decides they have nothing left to learn in the minors but can’t find rotation spots for them.

That makes experienced players like Mattheus or Villarreal a luxury the Reds aren’t yet sure they can afford.

“I do think we could use a little bit more of a veteran presence in our bullpen,” manager Bryan Price said. “That said, we’re also trying to take our young players and transition them to the big leagues to become that next wave of great Reds pitchers, and we can’t do that without them pitching. It’s not a catch-22. It’s just defining exactly how we want to come out of the gates with this roster.”