Rosecrans predicts Reds' Opening Day roster

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Reds' lone off day of the spring came on Tuesday and serves as a time to both look back on a month-plus of spring training and forward to Opening Day, now less than two weeks away.

Enquirer Reds beat writers John Fay and I took the opportunity to predict the team's 25-man roster on Opening Day, something Fay did on March 15, and I hadn't committed to in print. As an exercise, neither of us looked at the other's list before posting, so they could be the exact same or wildly different.

Here's my roster:

Rotation

Johnny Cueto

Mike Leake

Anthony DeSclafani

Jason Marquis

Raisel Iglesias

Homer Bailey will start the season on the disabled list, and at that point, expect to see Iglesias either go to Louisville or the bullpen. The Reds will have to make a spot on the 40-man roster for the 36-year-old Marquis, while Iglesias is already there. Bryan Price has said that if Marquis or Paul Maholm is in the rotation, it wouldn't be in a caretaker role for Bailey, but as for the entire season. It seems Marquis has the edge over Maholm, but Price could pull a surprise at the last minute and insert the lefty Maholm.

Bullpen

Aroldis Chapman

Burke Badenhop

Jumbo Diaz

Sam LeCure

Manny Parra

Tony Cingrani

Kevin Gregg

Chapman closing is really the only certainty here. Badenhop was the team's only big-league free agent signing, and despite a rough spring, he'll be on the roster, along with veterans LeCure and Parra. Diaz hasn't done anything to lose his spot on the roster and stands out as a hard thrower in that bullpen. The interesting spots are near the end, where Cingrani has been moved from the rotation to the bullpen and will have to prove he can pitch out of the bullpen. So far in limited experiences, he's been better as a starter than reliever. Gregg is an experienced closer and could serve in the Jonathan Broxton role as set-up man for Chapman, despite being signed to a minor-league deal. The Reds will have to find a place for him on the 40-man roster, but Sean Marshall will likely start the season on the 60-day disabled list, clearing at least one spot. Michael Lorenzen is a possibility as well, but I can see him starting the season in Louisville's rotation.

Starting eight

C Devin Mesoraco

1B Joey Votto

2B Brandon Phillips

3B Todd Frazier

SS Zack Cozart

LF Marlon Byrd

CF Billy Hamilton

RF Jay Bruce

This has pretty much been set since the day Walt Jocketty acquired Byrd from Philadelphia in exchange for Lively. The bigger question since then has been the batting order, but barring injury (and that can always pop up in the last two weeks of camp, like it did a year ago), these eight are set. The only question had been Votto's health, and the Reds' first baseman has looked healthy and spry so far this spring.

Bench

Brayan Pena

Kristopher Negron

Skip Schumaker

Brennan Boesch

Chris Dominguez

Pena and Schumaker were certainties because of contracts, and neither has done anything to change that this spring. Boesch and Dominguez have been the surprises of camp, and the two both need a 40-man spot, but give the Reds some pop off the bench. The left-handed Boesch can play all three outfield positions and first base in a pinch, while Dominguez plays both corner infield and outfield spots. Negron is the backup shortstop, but if Cozart is out for an extended period of time, Eugenio Suarez would get the call from Louisville.