Nick Lodolo

Reports of Lodolo struggling at the alternate training site threw us off the scent, but he showed in 2021 that he can still make good on his potential as a mid-rotation starter, perhaps sooner than later. The lanky 6-foot-6 lefty logged a 2.31 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, a 78:11 K:BB and a groundball rate over 54% in 50.2 innings across 13 starts (11 at Double-A, two at Triple-A). A blister knocked him out of action for four weeks early in the summer and a shoulder strain ended his season in August, so Lodolo was unable to build up his innings to a satisfactory level in his first full season in the minors. In many ways, Lodolo is the antithesis of org. mate Hunter Greene, as he lacks high-octane stuff, but he has excellent command of four average or better pitches. His upper-80s slider and low-to-mid-90s sinker are his bread and butter offerings, enabling him to miss enough bats while generating weak contact. The Reds have already made it clear that Lodolo will get to compete for a rotation spot this spring. Barring some big trades after the lockout, he will likely head back to Triple-A, but chances are he will make more appearances in the majors than in the minors.